TWI628519B - Moving body apparatus, exposure apparatus, device manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

An exposure apparatus comprising: a stage (WST1, WST2) capable of independently moving in a predetermined plane, and having a grating (RG) (WTB) at a position below a surface on which the wafer (W) is placed; The measurement stage (MST) is movable independently of the stage (WST1, WST2) in a predetermined plane, and includes a light receiving surface that receives the energy beam through the optical system, and receives light according to the energy beam received through the light receiving surface. Perform measurements related to exposure. The exposure station (200) and the measuring station (300) are respectively provided with a grating for the stage (WST1 or WST2) to illuminate the measuring beam from below, and measure the position of the stage (WTB) of the stage (WST1 or WST2). First and second measurement systems.

Description

Mobile device, exposure device, and component manufacturing method

The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus and an exposure method, and a device manufacturing method, in particular, an exposure apparatus and an exposure method used in a lithography process for manufacturing an electronic component (micro component), and an element manufacturing method using the exposure apparatus and the exposure method.

Conventionally, a lithography process for manufacturing electronic components (microdevices) such as semiconductor elements (integrated circuits, etc.) and liquid crystal display elements is mainly a step-and-repeat projection exposure apparatus (so-called stepping machine). ), or a step-and-scan type projection exposure device (so-called scanning stepper (also called scanner)).

Such an exposure apparatus generally uses a laser interferometer to measure the position of a wafer stage on which a substrate such as a wafer or a glass plate (hereinafter collectively referred to as a substrate) to which a pattern is transferred (or formed) is moved and moved two-dimensionally. However, with the recent integration of semiconductor elements to make the pattern finer, and the position control performance of the wafer stage is required to be more precise, as a result, it becomes impossible to ignore the ambient gas on the beam path of the laser interferometer. Short-term changes in measured values due to air fluctuations due to temperature changes and/or temperature gradients.

In order to improve such problems, various types of encoders having the same degree of measurement and analysis capability as the laser interferometer have been proposed as exposures of position measuring devices for wafer stages. The invention related to the device (see, for example, Patent Document 1). However, in the immersion exposure apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the like, there is still a point to be improved, such as deformation of the wafer stage (grating provided on the wafer stage) due to the influence of vaporization heat during evaporation of the liquid. Hey.

As an improvement of such a problem, there is known an exposure apparatus including an encoder system for a measurement station that performs wafer exposure exposure and a measurement operation such as wafer alignment, and the encoder system is provided by The reading head at the front end of the measuring arm constituted by the cantilever illuminates the measuring beam with respect to the grating provided on the back surface of the wafer holding table (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

However, the exposure apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 2 employs a micro-motion stage (wafer stage) that holds a wafer, for example, a relay member (for example, a middle stage or a relay stage, etc.) between two coarse movement stages. The composition of the exchange. Therefore, there is a reason for the decrease in the capacity of the device due to the wafer exchange. As wafers become larger, once the upcoming 450mm 450mm wafers are in the era, capacity will be increased, and it is predicted that it will be difficult to cope with the above-mentioned exchange.

Advanced technical literature

[Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0088843

[Patent Document 2] US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0296070

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a first exposure apparatus for exposing an object by an optical beam via an optical system, comprising: first and second moving members capable of holding the object to perform the energy beam An exposure station that exposes the object is moved independently of each other in an area within the predetermined plane of the measurement station that is disposed apart from the first direction parallel to the predetermined plane and that performs predetermined measurement on the object, and is respectively carried a first grating is disposed below the surface of the object; the first measurement system is disposed at the exposure station and has the first direction In the first measuring member in the longitudinal direction, the first measuring beam is irradiated from below to the first grating of the moving member located in the exposure station of the first and second moving members, and the moving member is measured. The first position information is provided in the measurement station, and includes a second measuring member having the first direction as a longitudinal direction, and the second measuring member is located in the first and second moving members. The first grating of the moving member of the station irradiates the second measuring beam from below, and measures the second position information of the moving member. The third moving member is movable in the predetermined plane independently of the first and second moving members. Provided with at least a portion of the optical member including a light receiving surface that receives the energy beam through the optical system, and a measurement device associated with exposure based on the light receiving result of the energy beam received through the light receiving surface; and a driving system The first, second, and third moving members are individually driven.

Thereby, the first, second, and third moving members are individually driven by the drive system, and for example, one of the first moving member and the second moving member that holds the object whose exposure has ended is separated from the exposure station and held at the measuring station. When the other of the first moving member and the second moving member that is the object to be measured for the object is located between the measuring station and the exposure station, the third moving member moves below the optical system. Thereby, after the exposure of the object held by one of the moving members is completed, and until the exposure of the object held by the other moving member is started, the energy beam received through the light receiving surface can be received by the measuring device at the exposure station. The light receiving result is measured in association with the exposure. Thereby, the measurement associated with the exposure can be performed by using the movement time (and/or standby time) of the first and second moving members between exposure and exposure. Therefore, it is possible to perform necessary measurement associated with exposure without reducing the throughput.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a device comprising: exposing an object using the first exposure device; and developing the object after exposure Actions.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a second exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate by an optical system, comprising: first and second stages, each having a mounting region on the upper surface side of the substrate a holding member for the first lattice member on the lower surface side and a main body portion for supporting the holding member so as to form a space below the first lattice member; and the third stage is disposed on the substrate via the optical system The exposure station is different from the first and second stages; the detection system is disposed at a measurement station different from the exposure station, and the detection signal is irradiated onto the substrate to detect the position information of the substrate; Moving the first, second, and third stages, and moving the first and second stages from one of the exposure station and the measurement station to the other; the first measurement system has the exposure The first read head of the station and the second read head provided in the measurement station are disposed at a position opposite to the optical system via one of the first and second stages disposed on the exposure station. The aforementioned space The first read head in the first lattice member irradiates the first measurement beam from below to measure the position information of the one stage, and the first and second loads are arranged in the measurement station. The other of the stages is located in the second read head disposed in the space opposite to the detection system, and the first grating member is irradiated with the first measurement beam from below to measure the position information of the other stage. And a controller that controls the drive system to control the first and the first according to the position information measured by the first measurement system in order to move the first and second stages to the exposure station and the measurement station, respectively. In the above-described controller, the first and second stages are arranged in the first and second stages, respectively, in place of one of the first and second read heads disposed in the space. 1. The other way of the second read head moves from the exposure station to one of the measurement stations to the other.

By the controller, the first and second stages are arranged by the drive system in place of one of the first and second read heads disposed in the space, and the first and second readings are arranged. The other way of the head moves from one of the exposure station and the measurement station to the other.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a device comprising: an operation of exposing an object using the second exposure device; and an operation of developing the object after the exposure.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an exposure method for exposing a substrate by an optical system, comprising: respectively providing a mounting region having the substrate on an upper surface side and a first lattice on a lower surface side; The member holding member and one of the first and second stages that support the main body portion of the holding member so as to form a space below the first lattice member are different from the first and second stages. a 3 stage, an exposure station in which the substrate is exposed by the optical system, located in a position opposite to the optical system; and in order to move the one stage in the exposure station, by being placed in correspondence with the optical system The operation of measuring the position information of the one stage of the first measurement system in which the first measurement element is irradiated with the first measurement beam from the first read head disposed in the space of the one of the first stages The first and second steps are performed in a measurement station different from the exposure station in a detection station in which a detection signal for detecting the position information of the substrate is detected by irradiating a detection beam to the substrate The other of the stages moves to illuminate the first measuring beam from below with respect to the first reading head disposed in the space of the other of the other stages facing the detection system. a first measurement system that measures the position information of the other stage; and the other stage that moves from the measurement station to the exposure station is located opposite the optical system instead of the one of the stages The method is continued from the aforementioned side in order to withdraw the first read head from the space The movement of the stage causes the other stage to move to cause the first read head to enter the space.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a device comprising: an operation of exposing a substrate using the above exposure method; and an operation of developing the exposed substrate.

8‧‧‧Local liquid immersion device

10‧‧‧Lighting

11‧‧‧The reticle stage drive system

17‧‧‧ coil

18‧‧‧ permanent magnet

34‧‧‧Measurement system for exposure coordinate group

35‧‧‧Measurement system for measuring coordinate sets

36a, 36b, 36c, 36d‧‧‧ image sensor

38a, 38b, 38c, 38d, 38e, 38f‧‧‧Z sensors

51A, 51B‧‧‧ coarse motion stage drive system

51C‧‧‧Measuring stage drive system

70A‧‧‧1st back side encoder system

70B‧‧‧2nd back side encoder system

71A‧‧‧Measurement arm

71B‧‧‧Measurement arm

80D‧‧‧Measurement System

90a, 90b‧‧‧ Focus Position Detection System

100‧‧‧Exposure device

200‧‧‧Exposure Station

300‧‧‧Measurement station

W‧‧‧ wafer

R‧‧‧ reticle

RG‧‧·raster

ALG‧‧‧Alignment Detection System

MST‧‧‧Measuring stage

WCS‧‧‧ coarse moving stage

WFS‧‧‧Micro Motion Stage

WST1, WST2‧‧‧ wafer stage

Fig. 1 is a view schematically showing the configuration of an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view showing the exposure apparatus of Fig. 1;

3(A) is a plan view showing the wafer stage of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3(B) is a view (front view) of the wafer stage viewed from the -Y direction.

4(A) is a view (front view) of the measurement stage of FIG. 1 viewed from the -Y direction, and FIG. 4(B) is a plan view showing the measurement stage MST.

Fig. 5 is a view showing the arrangement of the first to third top side encoder systems, the alignment detecting system, the AF system, and the like provided in the exposure apparatus of Fig. 1 based on the projection optical system.

Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing the input/output relationship of the main control device centered on the control system of the exposure apparatus of the embodiment.

Fig. 7 is a view showing an example of a specific configuration of the first and second fine movement stage position measuring systems of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8(A) is a perspective view showing the distal end portion of the measuring arm of the first back side encoder system, and Fig. 8(B) is a plan view showing the distal end portion of the measuring arm of Fig. 8(A).

Figure 9 is a diagram for explaining the parallel use of the wafer stage WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST. Diagram of the action (1).

Fig. 10 is a view for explaining a parallel processing operation using the wafer stages WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST (2).

Fig. 11 is a view for explaining a parallel processing operation using the wafer stages WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST (3).

Fig. 12 is a view for explaining a parallel processing operation using the wafer stages WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST (4).

Fig. 13 is a view for explaining a parallel processing operation using the wafer stages WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST (5).

Fig. 14 is a view for explaining a parallel processing operation using the wafer stages WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST (6).

Fig. 15 is a view for explaining a parallel processing operation using the wafer stages WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST (7).

Fig. 16 is a view for explaining a parallel processing operation using the wafer stages WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST (8).

Fig. 17 is a view for explaining a parallel processing operation using the wafer stages WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST (9).

Fig. 18 is a view for explaining a parallel processing operation using the wafer stages WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST (10).

Fig. 19 is a view for explaining a parallel processing operation using the wafer stages WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST (11).

Figure 20 is a diagram for explaining the parallel use of the wafer stage WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST. A diagram of the processing action (12).

21 is a view for explaining the configuration of an exposure apparatus according to a modification, and is a view for explaining a parallel processing operation using the wafer stages WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST (No. 1).

Fig. 22 is a view (2) for explaining a parallel processing operation using the wafer stages WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST by the exposure apparatus of the modification.

Fig. 23 is a view (No. 3) for explaining a parallel processing operation using the wafer stages WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST by the exposure apparatus of the modification.

Fig. 24 is a view (4) for explaining a parallel processing operation using the wafer stages WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST by the exposure apparatus of the modification.

Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 20 .

FIG. 1 schematically shows the configuration of an exposure apparatus 100 according to an embodiment, and FIG. 2 shows a schematic plan view of the exposure apparatus 100. The exposure apparatus 100 is a step-and-scan type projection exposure apparatus, that is, a so-called scanner. As will be described later, in the present embodiment, the projection optical system PL is provided. Hereinafter, a direction parallel to the optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL is referred to as a Z-axis direction (Z direction), and a direction in which the reticle R and the wafer W are scanned in the plane orthogonal thereto is set to Y. In the axial direction (Y direction), the direction orthogonal to the Z axis and the Y axis is set to the X axis direction (X direction), and the rotation (tilt) directions around the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis are respectively set to θx, The directions of θy and θz will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, the exposure apparatus 100 includes an exposure unit 200 disposed near the +Y side end portion of the chassis 12, and a measurement unit 300 disposed near the Y-side end portion of the chassis 12, and is independent on the chassis 12. Two wafer stages WST1, WST2 and one moving two-dimensionally in the XY plane Measurement stations MST, and such control systems. Hereinafter, for the convenience of explanation, the same reference numerals as those of the exposure unit and the measurement unit are referred to as the exposure station 200 and the measurement station 300.

The chassis 12 is supported on the ground substantially horizontally (parallel to the XY plane) by an anti-vibration mechanism (not shown). The chassis 12 is composed of a member having a flat outer shape. Further, in FIG. 1, the wafer stage WST1 is located in the exposure station 200, the wafer stage WST2 is located in the measurement station 300, and the wafer W is held on the wafer stages WST1, WST2 (more specifically, the wafer table WTB described later). . Again, the measurement stage MST is located in or near the exposure station 200. The measurement stage MST is located below the projection optical system PL so as not to be in contact with the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 moving under the projection optical system PL in the exposure operation using the wafers W of the wafer stages WST1 and WST2, respectively. The established position (retracted position or standby position). Further, before the exposure operation of the wafer W is completed, the measurement stage MST relatively moves so as to approach the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 moving under the projection optical system PL, and at the latest at the end of the exposure operation, one crystal The circular stage and the measurement stage MST are located close to each other (or in contact). Further, the wafer stage and the measurement stage MST which are close to each other are moved relative to the projection optical system PL, and the measurement stage MST is disposed opposite to the projection optical system PL instead of the wafer stage. Further, at least a part of the relative movement operation for bringing one of the wafer stage and the measurement stage MST close to each other and positioning may be performed after the exposure operation of the wafer W.

The exposure unit 200 includes an illumination system 10, a reticle stage RST, a projection unit PU, a partial liquid immersion device 8, and the like.

Illumination system 10, for example, disclosed in the specification of the US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0025890, etc., comprising a light source and an illuminance uniformizing optical system having an optical integrator and the like An illumination optical system such as a reticle blind or the like (none of which is shown). The illumination system 10 is characterized by illumination light (exposure light) IL, which illuminates the slit shape on the reticle R set (restricted) by the reticle blind (also called the mask system) with substantially uniform illumination. Lighting area IAR. Here, as the illumination light IL, for example, ArF excimer laser light (wavelength: 193 nm) is used.

On the reticle stage RST, the reticle R on which the circuit pattern or the like is formed on the pattern surface (below the FIG. 1) is fixed by, for example, vacuum suction. The reticle stage RST can be micro-amplified in the XY plane by a reticle stage driving system 11 (not shown in FIG. 1 , for example, a linear motor), and in the scanning direction ( The Y-axis direction in the left-right direction of the paper surface in Fig. 1 is driven at a predetermined scanning speed.

The position information (including the rotation information in the θz direction) of the reticle stage RST in the XY plane is fixed by the reticle laser interferometer (hereinafter referred to as "the reticle interferometer") 13 Moving mirror 15 of the wafer stage RST (actually, a Y moving mirror (or a retroreflector) having a reflecting surface orthogonal to the Y-axis direction and an x moving mirror having a reflecting surface orthogonal to the X-axis direction) It is detected at any time with an analytical capability of, for example, 0.25 nm. The measured value of the reticle interferometer 13 is sent to the main control unit 20 (not shown in Fig. 1, see Fig. 6). Further, instead of the reticle interferometer 13, the position information of the reticle stage RST can be measured using an encoder disclosed in, for example, U.S. Patent No. 7,839,485. In this case, one of the lattice members (scale plate or grid plate) forming the lattice and the encoder read head may be disposed on the lower side of the reticle stage RST, and the other side may be disposed on the reticle stage. Below the RST, one of the grid portion and the encoder read head is placed on the upper side of the reticle stage RST, and the other is placed above the reticle stage RST. Further, the reticle stage RST may have a coarse fretting structure similar to the wafer stage WST described later.

The projection unit PU is disposed below the reticle stage RST in FIG. projection The unit PU is supported by a flange portion FLG provided on the outer peripheral portion thereof by a main bracket (Metric Weight Bracket) BD horizontally supported by a support member (not shown). The main bracket BD constitutes a part of the main body bracket of the exposure apparatus 100 on which at least a part of the illumination optical system or the reticle stage RST is mounted. In the present embodiment, the main bracket BD is disposed on the installation surface (for example, the ground, etc.) via the anti-vibration mechanism. A plurality of (for example, three or four) support members (not shown) are supported. Further, a chassis 12 and the like which will be described later are also disposed on the installation surface. Further, the vibration isolation mechanism may be disposed between each of the support members and the main bracket BD. Further, the projection unit PU may be suspended and supported by a portion of the body holder disposed above the projection unit PU, as disclosed in, for example, International Publication No. 2006/038952.

The projection unit PU includes a lens barrel 40 and a projection optical system PL held in the lens barrel 40. As the projection optical system PL, for example, a refractive optical system composed of a plurality of optical elements (lens elements) arranged along an optical axis AX parallel to the Z-axis is used. The projection optical system PL is, for example, telecentric on both sides and has a predetermined projection magnification (for example, 1/4, 1/5 or 1/8, etc.). Therefore, when the illumination area IAR on the reticle R is illuminated by the illumination light IL from the illumination system 10, the reticle R disposed substantially in line with the pattern surface by the first surface (object surface) of the projection optical system PL The illumination light IL is formed in the projection optical system PL by reducing the circuit pattern of the reticle R in the illumination area IAR (the portion of the circuit pattern is reduced) via the projection optical system PL (projection unit PU). On the second surface (image surface) side, a region (hereinafter also referred to as an exposure region) IA which is conjugated to the illumination region IAR on the wafer W on which the photoresist (sensor) is applied. Then, by the reticle stage RST and the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 (more precisely, the micro-motion stage WFS which is described later to hold the wafer W), the relative illumination area IAR (illumination light IL) is made. The reticle R moves in the scanning direction (Y-axis direction), and moves the wafer W in the scanning direction (Y-axis direction) with respect to the exposure area IA (illumination light IL) to perform an irradiation area on the wafer W (division) Area) scan Exposure, the pattern of the reticle R is transferred in the irradiation area. That is, in the present embodiment, the illumination system 10 and the projection optical system PL generate a pattern of the reticle R on the wafer W, and the illumination layer IL exposes the sensing layer (photoresist layer) on the wafer W. A pattern is formed on the wafer W.

The partial liquid immersion device 8 is provided corresponding to exposure of the exposure device 100 by liquid immersion. The partial liquid immersion device 8 includes a liquid supply device 5, a liquid recovery device 6 (not shown in Fig. 1, see Fig. 6), a nozzle unit 32, and the like. The nozzle unit 32, as shown in FIG. 1, surrounds the optical element constituting the most image side (wafer W side) of the projection optical system PL, and here surrounds the holding lens (hereinafter, also referred to as "front lens" or "final The lens holder 191 is suspended around the lower end portion of the lens barrel 40 and supported by a main holder BD that supports the projection unit PU or the like via a support member (not shown). The nozzle unit 32 includes a supply port and a recovery port of the liquid Lq, a lower side of the wafer W disposed opposite to the wafer W, and a liquid supply pipe 31A and a liquid recovery pipe 31B (not shown in FIG. 1 ). Referring to Fig. 4), the supply flow path and the recovery flow path are connected. The other end of the supply pipe (not shown) connected to the liquid supply device 5 (not shown in FIG. 1 and see FIG. 6) is connected to the liquid supply pipe 31A, and one end of the liquid recovery pipe 31B is connected to the liquid recovery pipe 31B. The other end of the recovery pipe is not shown in the liquid recovery device 6 (not shown in Fig. 1 and referred to Fig. 6). Further, the nozzle unit 32 has a supply flow path and a recovery flow path therein, and the liquid supply pipe 31A and the liquid recovery pipe 31B are connected to the supply port and the recovery port via the supply flow path and the recovery flow path, respectively. Further, the nozzle unit 32 has an opening through which the illumination light IL emitted from the projection optical system PL passes, and a recovery port is disposed around the opening. In the present embodiment, the supply port is provided on the inner side surface of the nozzle unit 32 surrounding the distal end lens. However, a supply port different from the supply port may be provided on the lower surface side of the nozzle unit 32 with respect to the opening portion at the inner side of the recovery port.

In the present embodiment, the main control device 20 controls the liquid supply device 5 (refer to FIG. 6) to supply the liquid to the front end lens 191 and the wafer W via the liquid supply tube 31A and the nozzle unit 32. The liquid recovery device 6 (see FIG. 6) is controlled to recover liquid from between the front end lens 191 and the wafer W via the nozzle unit 32 and the liquid recovery pipe 31B. At this time, the main control unit 20 controls the liquid supply device 5 and the liquid recovery device 6 in such a manner that the amount of the supplied liquid is equal to the amount of the recovered liquid. Therefore, a certain amount of liquid Lq is exchanged between the front end lens 191 and the wafer W at any time (refer to FIG. 1). The partial liquid immersion device 8 can form a liquid immersion area under the projection optical system PL by the liquid Lq supplied through the nozzle unit 32, and recover the liquid from the liquid immersion area via the nozzle unit 32, and maintain the liquid only in one part of the wafer W. Lq, that is, a liquid immersion area is formed by holding the liquid Lq in a partial region on the wafer stage WST1, WST2 (micro-motion stage WFS) disposed opposite to the projection optical system PL and further on the surface of the wafer W. Therefore, the nozzle unit 32 can also be referred to as a liquid immersion member, a liquid immersion space forming member, a liquid confinement member, or a liquid containment member. In the present embodiment, pure water capable of transmitting ArF excimer laser light (light having a wavelength of 193 nm) is used as the liquid system. Further, the refractive index n of the pure water to the ArF excimer laser light is approximately 1.44, and in pure water, the wavelength of the illumination light IL is shortened to 193 nm × 1 / n = about 134 nm.

In the present embodiment, the nozzle unit 32 is suspended and supported by the main bracket BD, but a bracket member different from the main bracket BD, for example, a bracket member provided separately from the main bracket BD on the installation surface may be provided. 32. Thereby, the vibration transmitted from the nozzle unit 32 to the projection optical system PL can be suppressed or prevented. Further, a part of the nozzle unit 32 that is in contact with the liquid Lq (the interface of the liquid immersion area) on the lower side of the nozzle unit 32 may be movable, and when the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 moves, the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 and the mouth may be used. The manner in which the relative speed of the unit 32 becomes smaller causes a portion of the nozzle unit 32 to move. Thereby, it is possible to suppress or prevent a part of the liquid Lq from being separated from the liquid immersion area particularly in the exposure operation of the wafer W, and remaining on the wafer table WST1 or WST2 or on the surface of the wafer W. In this case, it can also be used in the movement of the wafer stage WST1 or WST2. When one of the nozzle units 32 is moved, one of the nozzle units 32 can be moved in one of the exposure operations, for example, only in the stepping operation of the wafer stage WST1 or WST2. Further, a part of the nozzle unit 32 may be, for example, a movable unit having a recovery port and at least a portion of the lower portion, or a plate member movable relative to the nozzle unit 32 and having a lower surface in contact with the liquid.

Further, the exposure unit 200 includes a first fine movement stage position measuring system 110A including a first back side of the measuring arm 71A that is supported by the main support BD from the support member 72A in a substantially cantilever state (near the one end portion). The encoder system 70A and a first top side encoder system 80A (not shown in FIG. 1, see FIG. 16 and the like) which will be described later. Here, for convenience of explanation, the first micro-motion stage position measuring system 110A will be described after the description of the fine movement stage to be described later.

The measurement unit 300 includes an alignment detection system ALG provided in the main holder BD, and a focus position detection system (hereinafter abbreviated as AF system) (90a, 90b) provided in the main holder BD (not shown in FIG. 6 and the like, and a second back side encoder system 70B including a measuring arm 71B that is supported by the main support BD via the support member 72B in a substantially cantilever state (supporting the one end portion), and a second top side encoder to be described later The second fine movement stage position measuring system 110B of the system 80B (not shown in Fig. 1, see Fig. 6 and the like). In addition, for the convenience of explanation, the second fine movement stage position measuring system 110B will be described after the description of the fine movement stage to be described later. Further, the alignment detection system ALG is also referred to as a mark detection system, an alignment device, or the like.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 5, the alignment detection system ALG is at the center of the projection unit PU (the optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL, and also in the present embodiment, also coincides with the center of the exposure area IA) and Y. The straight line parallel to the axis (hereinafter referred to as a reference axis) LV is disposed in a state where the detection center is located at a predetermined distance from the optical axis AX to the -Y side. Alignment detection system The ALG can use, for example, an image processing method FIA (Field Image Alignment) system, which can illuminate a target detection mark with a broadband detection beam that does not cause photoresist on the wafer, and uses a photographic element ( a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or the like) captures an image of a target mark imaged on the light receiving surface by reflected light from the target mark, and an indicator (not shown) (an indicator pattern provided on an index plate in each alignment system) ) like, and output the shooting signals of these. The photographing signal from the alignment detecting system ALG is supplied to the main control device 20 (refer to FIG. 6). Further, a plurality of mark detection systems whose detection areas are set at different positions in the X direction, as disclosed in the specification of the US Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0233234, may be used as the alignment detection system ALG. Further, the alignment detecting system ALG is not limited to the photographing method, and may be, for example, a method in which a coherent measuring photomask is provided on an alignment mark (a diffraction grating), and a diffracted light generated from the mark is detected.

As the AF system, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, an oblique incident type focus position detecting system including a light transmitting system 90a and a light receiving system 90b is provided. The focus position detection system (focus position detecting means) similar to the AF system (90a, 90b) is disclosed in the third embodiment of the specification of the U.S. Patent No. 5,448,332. In the AF system (90a, 90b), the position of the optical axis AX of the detected surface (that is, the amount of defocus from the optimum imaging surface) is obtained. In the present embodiment, as an example, the light-transmitting system 90a and the light-receiving system 90b are arranged symmetrically with respect to the reference axis LV on a straight line (reference axis) LA parallel to the X-axis passing through the detection center of the alignment detecting system ALG. The interval between the light-transmitting system 90a and the light-receiving system 90b in the X-axis direction is set to be smaller than the diameter of the wafer W.

The detection points of the detection beams from the AF system (90a, 90b), that is, the detection points of the AF system (90a, 90b), are consistent with the illumination point of the detection beam from the alignment detection system ALG, that is, the alignment detection system. ALG's testing center. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the AF system (90a, 90b) can perform the detection operation in parallel with the alignment detecting system ALG. In addition, it can also replace the AF system (90a, 90b). A multi-point focus position detecting system disclosed in, for example, the specification of U.S. Patent No. 5,448,332 is used. When a multi-point focus position detection system is used, a plurality of detection points are arranged at predetermined intervals, for example, within a range in which the detected surface is in the same size as the X-axis direction of the irradiation area. In the present embodiment, the detection points arranged at the center in the X-axis direction among the plurality of detection points are disposed at substantially the same position as the detection center of the alignment detection system ALG.

Each of the wafer stages WST1 and WST2, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3(B), has a coarse movement stage WCS and a fine movement stage WFS through which an actuator (including at least a voice coil motor and an EI coil) is included. One of them is supported by the coarse movement stage WCS in a non-contact state and is movable relative to the coarse movement stage WCS. Here, the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 (the coarse movement stage WCS) are driven in the X-axis and Y-axis directions by a predetermined stroke by the coarse movement stage drive systems 51A and 51B (see FIG. 6) including a planar motor to be described later. It is driven by the micro-magnitude in the θz direction. Further, the fine movement stage WFS provided in each of the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 is driven to six degrees of freedom with respect to the coarse movement stage WCS by the fine movement stage drive systems 52A and 52B (see FIG. 6) including the actuators. Direction (X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis, θx, θy, θz). Further, the coarse movement stage WCS may be driven in the six-degree-of-freedom direction by a planar motor to be described later.

Further, the position information in the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the fine movement stage WFS supported by the coarse movement stage WCS provided in the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 of the exposure station 200 is the first fine movement stage position measurement system 110A (refer to the figure). 1. Figure 6) Measured.

Further, when the coarse movement stage WCS provided in the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 is located at the measurement station 300, the position information in the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the fine movement stage WFS supported by the coarse movement stage WCS is based on the second micro-motion load. The position measurement system 110B (see Figs. 1 and 6) is measured.

Moreover, between the exposure station 200 and the measurement station 300, that is, the first micro-motion stage The position information of the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 between the measurement range of the measurement system 110A and the measurement range of the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B is measured by a measurement system 80D (see FIG. 6) which will be described later.

Further, the position information in the XY plane of the measurement stage MST is measured by a measurement stage position measuring system 16 (see Fig. 6) which will be described later.

The measurement values (position information) of the first fine movement stage position measuring system 110A, the second fine movement stage position measuring system 110B, and the measurement system 80D are supplied to the main control unit 20 for position control of the wafer stages WST1 and WST2, respectively (refer to Figure 6). In particular, the measured values of the first fine movement stage position measuring system 110A and the second fine movement stage position measuring system 110B are used for position control of the fine movement stage WFS of the wafer stages WST1 and WST2. Further, the measurement value of the measurement table position measuring system 16 is supplied to the main control device 20 (see FIG. 6) by the position control of the measurement table MTB.

Here, the configuration of the stage system and the like will be described in detail. First, the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 have the same configuration, but the wafer stage WST1 will be described as a representative.

As shown in FIG. 3(B), the coarse movement stage WCS included in the wafer stage WST1 includes a coarse movement slider portion 91, a pair of side wall portions 92a and 92b, and a pair of fastener portions 93a and 93b. The coarse motion slider 91 is formed of a rectangular plate-like member having a length longer than the Y-axis direction in a plan view (viewed from the +Z direction) in the X-axis direction. Each of the pair of side wall portions 92a and 92b is formed of a rectangular plate-shaped member having a longitudinal direction in the Y-axis direction, and is fixed to the one end portion and the other end portion of the longitudinal direction of the coarse motion slider portion 91 in a state parallel to the YZ plane. . The pair of fixing portions 93a and 93b are fixed to the central portion of the upper surface of each of the side wall portions 92a and 92b in the Y-axis direction toward the inner side. Rough moving stage The WCS has a rectangular shape having a low height which is open at both the central portion in the X-axis direction and the side surfaces in the Y-axis direction. That is, a space portion penetrating in the Y-axis direction is formed inside the coarse movement stage WCS. The measurement arms 71A and 71B are inserted into the space portion during exposure, alignment, and the like which will be described later. Further, the lengths of the side wall portions 92a and 92b in the Y-axis direction may be substantially the same as those of the stator portions 93a and 93b. In other words, the side wall portions 92a and 92b may be provided only at the central portion in the Y-axis direction of the one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the coarse motion slider portion 91 and the upper surface of the other end portion. Further, the coarse movement stage WCS may be movable as long as it can support the fine movement stage WFS, and may be referred to as a main body portion of the wafer stage WST1, or a movable body or a moving body.

Inside the chassis 12, as shown in FIG. 1, a coil unit including a plurality of coils 17 arranged in a matrix in the XY two-dimensional direction and in the column direction is housed. Further, the chassis 12 is disposed below the projection optical system PL such that its surface is substantially parallel to the XY plane.

Corresponding to the coil unit, the bottom surface of the coarse movement stage WCS, that is, the bottom surface of the coarse motion slider unit 91 is arranged in a matrix shape in the row direction and the column direction in the XY two-dimensional direction as shown in Fig. 2(B). A plurality of permanent magnets 18 constitute a magnet unit. The magnet unit and the coil unit of the chassis 12 constitute a coarse motion stage drive system 51A (see FIG. 6) constituted by a planar motor of an electromagnetic force (Laurent force) driving method disclosed in, for example, the specification of the U.S. Patent No. 5,196,745. The magnitude and direction of the current supplied to each of the coils 17 constituting the coil unit is controlled by the main control unit 20.

A plurality of air bearings 94 are fixed to the bottom surface of the coarse motion slider portion 91 around the magnet unit. The coarse motion stage WCS is suspended and supported by a plurality of air bearings 94 above the chassis 12 via a predetermined clearance (gap), for example, a gap of several μm, and is driven by the coarse motion stage drive system 51A to the X axis. Direction, Y-axis direction, and θz direction.

Further, as the coarse motion stage drive system 51A, it is not limited to electromagnetic force (Lauren For the planar motor of the driving method, for example, a planar motor with a variable magnetic resistance driving method can also be used. Further, the coarse movement stage drive system 51A may be constituted by a maglev type planar motor, and the coarse movement stage WCS can be driven in the six-degree-of-freedom direction by the planar motor. At this time, the air bearing may not be provided on the bottom surface of the coarse motion slider 91.

Each of the pair of fixing portions 93a and 93b is formed of a member having a plate shape, and accommodates coil units CUa and CUb formed by a plurality of coils for driving the fine movement stage WFS. The magnitude and direction of the current supplied to the coils constituting the coil units CUa, CUb are controlled by the main control unit 20.

As shown in FIG. 3(B), the fine movement stage WFS includes a main body portion 81 fixed to one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 81, and one pair of movable member portions 82a and 82b at the other end portion, and integrally fixed to the main body portion. A wafer table WTB formed of a rectangular plate-like member on the upper surface of the portion 81.

The main body portion 81 is formed of an octagonal plate-shaped member whose longitudinal direction is the X-axis direction in plan view. On the lower surface of the main body portion 81, a scale plate 83 composed of a predetermined shape having a predetermined thickness, for example, a rectangular shape in plan view or an octagonal plate-shaped member slightly larger than the main body portion 81 is disposed horizontally (parallel to the surface of the wafer W). A two-dimensional grating (hereinafter simply referred to as a grating) RG is provided in a region of the scale plate 83 at least one turn larger than the wafer W. The grating RG includes a reflection type diffraction grating (X diffraction grating) having a periodic direction in the X-axis direction and a reflection diffraction grating (Y diffraction grating) having a periodic direction in the Y-axis direction. The distance between the lattice lines of the X diffractive grid and the Y diffractive grid is set to, for example, 1 μm.

Preferably, the body portion 81 and the scale plate 83 are formed of a material having the same or the same degree of thermal expansion, and the material preferably has a low coefficient of thermal expansion. Further, the surface of the grating RG can also be protected by a protective member such as a light-transmissive transparent material and a cover glass having a low thermal expansion rate. In addition, the grating RG may be periodically arranged in two different directions, and its configuration may be arbitrary, and the periodicity may be The direction may not coincide with the X and Y directions, for example, the periodic direction may be rotated by 45 degrees with respect to the X and Y directions.

In the present embodiment, although the fine movement stage WFS has the main body portion 81 and the wafer table WTB, the wafer table WTB may be driven by the actuator described above without providing the main body portion 81, for example. Further, the fine movement stage WFS may have a holding portion of the wafer stage WST, a stage, a movable portion, and the like as long as it has a mounting area of the wafer W on one of the upper portions.

The pair of movable member portions 82a and 82b have housings that are respectively fixed to the YZ cross-sectional rectangular frame shape of one end surface and the other end surface of the main body portion 81 in the X-axis direction. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the casings are denoted by the same reference numerals as the movable portions 82a and 82b as the casings 82a and 82b.

The casing 82a has a space (opening) in which the Y-axis direction dimension (length) and the Z-axis direction dimension (height) are larger than the fixing member portion 93a, and the YZ cross section which is elongated in the Y-axis direction is rectangular. The -X side end portion of the fixing portion 93a of the coarse movement stage WCS is inserted into the space of the casing 82a in a non-contact manner. Magnet units MUa1 and MUa2 are provided inside the upper wall portion 82a1 and the bottom wall portion 82a2 of the casing 82a.

The mover portion 82b is bilaterally symmetrical with the mover portion 82a, but has the same configuration. The +X side end portion of the fixing portion 93b of the coarse movement stage WCS is inserted into the space of the casing (movable portion) 82b in a non-contact manner. Magnet units MUb1 and MUb2 having the same configuration as the magnet units MUa1 and MUa2 are provided inside the upper wall portion 82b1 and the bottom wall portion 82b2 of the casing 82b.

The coil units CUa and CUb described above are housed in the fixed portions 93a and 93b, respectively, so as to correspond to the magnet units MUa1, MUa2, MUb1, and MUb2, respectively.

The configuration of the magnet units MUa1, MUa2, MUb1, MUb2, and the coil units CUa and CUb is disclosed in, for example, the specification of the U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0073652 and the specification of the U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0073653.

In the present embodiment, one of the pair of pair of magnet units MU1, MUb2 and MUb2 and the movable part 82b of the magnet unit MUa1, MUa2 and the holder portion 93a includes a pair of magnet units MUb1, MUb2 and a fixing member. The coil unit CUb included in the unit 93b constitutes the same as the coarse movement stage WCS in the same manner as the above-mentioned specification of the US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0073652 and the specification of the US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0073653. The micro-motion stage drive system 52A (see FIG. 6) that is suspended and supported in a contact state and driven in a six-degree-of-freedom direction in a non-contact manner.

Further, when a maglev type planar motor is used as the coarse movement stage drive system 51A (refer to FIG. 6), the fine movement stage WFS and the coarse movement stage WCS can be integrally driven to the Z by the plane motor. Since the axes, θx, and θy are in various directions, the fine movement stage drive system 52A can also be configured to drive the fine movement stage WFS in the three-degree-of-freedom directions in the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the θz directions, that is, in the XY plane. Further, for example, one pair of the electromagnets and the octagonal oblique sides of the fine movement stage WFS may be disposed opposite to each of the side wall portions 92a and 92b of one of the coarse movement stages WCS, and may be slightly moved with the respective electromagnets. The stage WFS is provided with a magnetic member. Thereby, since the fine movement stage WFS can be driven in the XY plane by the magnetic force of the electromagnet, the pair of Y-axis linear motors can be constituted by the movable parts 82a and 82b and the stator parts 93a and 93b.

A wafer holder (not shown) that holds the wafer W by vacuum suction or the like is provided at the center of the upper surface of the wafer table WTB. The wafer holder may be integrally formed with the wafer table WTB, or may be fixed to the wafer table WTB by, for example, an electrostatic chuck mechanism or a clamp mechanism, or by being attached. Here, although not shown in the drawings, the main body portion 81 is provided with a lower movable pin that can be moved up and down through a hole provided in the wafer holder. The upper and lower moving pins are movable in the vertical direction between a first position above the upper surface of the wafer holder and a second position below the upper surface of the wafer holder.

On the outside of the wafer holder (the mounting area of the wafer W) on the wafer table WTB, as shown in FIG. 3(A), a large circular opening having a larger circle than the wafer holder is formed in the center. And a sheet (drain plate) 28 having a rectangular outer shape (contour). The sheet 28 is made of, for example, glass or ceramic (for example, Zendur (trade name) of Shoude Co., Ltd.), Al2O3 or TiC, etc., and a liquid liquefaction treatment of the liquid Lq is applied to the surface. Specifically, the liquid-repellent film is formed by, for example, a fluororesin material such as a fluororesin material or a polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon (registered trademark)), an acrylic resin material, or a fluorene-based resin material. Further, the sheet 28 is fixed to the upper surface of the wafer table WTB such that all (or a part of) the surface thereof is substantially flush with the surface of the wafer W.

The plate member 28 has a first liquid-repellent region 28a having a rectangular outer shape (contour) in the center of the wafer table WTB in the X-axis direction and having the circular opening formed at the center thereof, and a first dialing in the X-axis direction The liquid region 28a is located on the +X side end portion of the wafer table WTB and one of the rectangles on the -X side end portion of the second liquid-repellent region 28b. Further, in the present embodiment, since water is used as the liquid Lq as described above, the first liquid-repellent region 28a and the second liquid-repellent region 28b are also referred to as a first water-repellent plate 28a and a second dial, respectively. Water board 28b.

A measuring plate 30 is provided in the vicinity of the +Y side end portion of the first water-repellent plate 28a. A reference mark FM is provided at the center of the measuring plate 30, and a pair of aerial image measuring slit patterns (slit-shaped measuring patterns) SL are provided so as to sandwich the reference mark FM. Further, corresponding to each of the spatial image measurement slit patterns SL, a light transmission system that guides the illumination light IL transmitted through the light to the outside of the wafer stage WST (a light receiving system provided in a measurement stage MST to be described later) is provided ( Not shown). Further, on the upper surface of the measuring plate, a reflecting surface for reflecting the detection beam from the AF system (90a, 90b) is formed in at least a central portion (or the entire region). The measuring plate 30 is disposed, for example, in an opening of the plate member 28 different from the opening in which the wafer holder is disposed, and the interval between the measuring plate 30 and the plate member 28 is closed by a sealing member or the like to prevent liquid from flowing into the crystal. Round table WTB. Further, the measuring plate 30 is disposed on the wafer table WTB such that its surface is substantially flush with the surface of the plate member 28. Further, at least one opening (light transmitting portion) different from the slit pattern SL may be formed on the measuring board 30, and the illumination light IL passing through the projection optical system PL and the liquid transmitting opening portion may be detected by the sensor. For example, the optical characteristics (including wavefront aberrations, etc.) of the projection optical system PL and/or the characteristics of the illumination light IL (including the amount of light, the illuminance distribution in the exposure area IA, etc.) can be measured.

Scales 391, 392 for the first and second top side encoder systems 80A, 80B are formed in the pair of second water deflectors 28b, respectively. Specifically, the scales 391 and 392 are each formed of, for example, a reflective two-dimensional diffraction grating in which a diffraction grating having a periodic direction in the Y-axis direction and a diffraction grating having a periodic direction in the X-axis direction are combined. The grid line pitch of the two-dimensional diffraction grid is set to, for example, 1 μm in either of the Y-axis direction and the X-axis direction. Further, since the pair of second water-repellent plates 28b each have a scale (two-dimensional lattice) 391, 392, they are called a lattice member, a scale plate, or a mesh plate. In the present embodiment, for example, a glass plate surface having a low thermal expansion coefficient is used. A two-dimensional lattice is formed to form a liquid-repellent film in such a manner as to cover the two-dimensional lattice. In addition, in FIG. 3(A), for the convenience of illustration, the distance between the grids is shown to be larger than the actual distance. Further, the two-dimensional lattice may be arranged periodically in two different directions, and the configuration may be arbitrary, and the periodic direction may not coincide with the X and Y directions. For example, the periodic direction may be rotated by 45 degrees with respect to the X and Y directions. Further, in a predetermined position of the edge portion of the scales 391, 392, a pair of images of the position measuring system for the exposure coordinate return described later when the wafer table WTB1 is positioned at a predetermined position (the parallel starting position to be described later) is formed. The photographic subject of the sensor is the mark.

Further, in order to protect the diffraction gratings of the pair of second water-repellent plates 28b and the like, it is also effective to cover with a glass plate having a low thermal expansion coefficient of water repellency. Here, thickness and wafer can be used The same degree, for example, a thickness of 1 mm is used as the glass plate. For example, the surface of the wafer table WTB is set such that the surface of the glass plate is substantially the same height (same surface) as the wafer surface. Further, when the pair of second water-repellent plates 28b are separated from the wafer W at least in the exposure operation of the wafer W so as not to be in contact with the liquid in the liquid immersion area, the pair of second water-repellent plates 28b its surface can also be non-liquid. That is, a pair of second water-repellent plates 28b can each form a simple lattice structure of a scale (two-dimensional lattice).

In the present embodiment, the plate member 28 is provided on the wafer table WTB, but the plate member 28 may not be provided. In this case, as long as the concave portion of the wafer holder is disposed on the upper surface of the wafer table WTB, for example, one of the surface non-liquid repellency pairs may be disposed on the wafer table WTB in the X direction via the concave portion. . As described above, the pair of lattice members may be disposed so as not to be in contact with the liquid in the liquid immersion area from the concave portion. Further, the concave portion may be formed so that the surface of the wafer W held by the wafer holder in the concave portion is substantially flush with the upper surface of the wafer table WTB. Further, all or a part of the upper surface of the wafer table WTB (including at least the surrounding area surrounding the concave portion) may be made liquid-repellent. Further, when one of the scales (two-dimensional lattices) 391, 392 is disposed close to the concave portion, one of the pair of non-liquid-repellent members may be used instead of the second water-repellent plate 28b.

Further, a positioning pattern (not shown) for determining the relative position between the encoder head and the scale described later is provided in the vicinity of the scale end of each of the second water-repellent plates 28b. The positioning pattern is composed of, for example, grid lines having different reflectances. When the encoder head scans the positioning pattern, the output signal intensity of the encoder changes. Therefore, the threshold value is determined in advance, and the position where the intensity of the output signal exceeds the threshold value is detected. Based on the detected position, the relative position between the encoder read head and the scale is set.

As shown in Fig. 2, the coarse moving stage WCS of the wafer stage WST1 is connected One end of the pipe 22A in which the piping and the wiring are integrated, and the other end of the pipe 22A is connected to the pipe carrier TC1. The tube carrier TC1 supplies a force such as electric power (current), refrigerant, compressed air, and vacuum to the wafer stage WST1 (coarse moving stage WCS) via the tube 22A. Further, a part of the force (for example, vacuum or the like) supplied to the coarse movement stage WCS is supplied to the fine movement stage WFS. The tube carrier TC1 is driven in the Y-axis direction by, for example, a carrier drive system 24A (see FIG. 6) composed of a linear motor. The fixing member of the carrier driving system 24A may be integrally provided on one part of the -X end portion of the chassis 12 as shown in FIG. 2, or may be caused to reduce the reaction force generated by the driving of the tube carrier TC1 to the wafer stage WST1. The effect is separated from the chassis 12 on the -X side of the chassis 12 in the longitudinal direction of the Y-axis direction. Further, the tube carrier may be disposed on the chassis 12. In this case, the tube carrier can be driven by the planar motor described later by driving the coarse movement stage WCS. In addition, the tube carrier can also be referred to as a cable carrier, or a follower or the like. Further, the wafer stage WST does not have to be a coarse fretting structure.

The tube carrier TC is driven in the Y-axis direction following the wafer stage WST1 by the main controller 20 through the carrier drive system 24A. The driving of the tube carrier TC1 in the Y-axis direction does not need to strictly follow the Y-axis direction of the wafer stage WST1, and it is only necessary to follow within a certain allowable range.

The wafer stage WST2 and the above-described wafer stage WST1 are bilaterally symmetrical but have the same configuration. Therefore, the wafer stage WST2 (coarse stage WCS) is moved in the X-axis direction by the coarse movement stage drive system 51B (see FIG. 6) constituted by the planar motor having the same configuration as the coarse movement stage drive system 51A. Driven in the Y-axis direction and the θz direction. Further, the coarse movement stage WCS is supported in a non-contact state by the coarse movement stage WCS provided in the wafer stage WST2, and the fine movement stage drive system system 52B having the same configuration as the fine movement stage drive system system 52A (refer to the figure) 6) Driven in a six-degree-of-freedom direction in a non-contact manner. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 2, the wafer stage WST2 is connected via the tube 22B. The tube carrier TC2 and the tube carrier TC2 are driven by the main control unit 20 through the carrier driving system 24B (see FIG. 6) constituted by a linear motor in the Y-axis direction following the wafer stage WST2.

Further, as described above, in the present embodiment, since the fine movement stage WFS constituting the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 includes the wafer table WTB, the wafer table WTB constituting the wafer stage WST1 will be included below for convenience of explanation. The fine movement stage WFS is marked as a wafer table WTB1, and the fine movement stage WFS including the wafer stage WTB constituting the wafer stage WST2 is marked as a wafer table WTB2 (see, for example, FIG. 1, FIG. 2, etc.). Further, the wafer tables WTB1 and WTB2 are collectively referred to as a wafer table WTB as appropriate.

Next, the measurement stage MST will be described. 4(A) and 4(B) respectively show a front view (view viewed from the -Y direction) and a top view (view viewed from the +Z direction) of the measurement stage MST. As shown in FIG. 4(A) and FIG. 4(B), the measurement stage MST includes the slider unit 60, the support portion 62, and the measurement table MTB. The slider portion 60 is formed of a rectangular plate-like member having a longitudinal direction in the X-axis direction in plan view (viewed from the +Z direction). The support portion 62 is composed of a rectangular member and is fixed to the -X side end portion of the upper surface of the slider portion 60. The measuring table MTB is composed of a rectangular plate-like member, and the cantilever is supported by the supporting portion 62, and is driven by the measuring table driving system 52C (refer to FIG. 6) to be, for example, a six-degree-of-freedom direction (or three freedoms in the XY plane). Degree direction).

Although not shown, a magnet unit composed of a plurality of permanent magnets is provided on the bottom surface of the slider unit 60, and together with the coil unit (coil 17) of the chassis 12 constitutes a plane of electromagnetic force (Laurz force) driving method. A measurement stage drive system 51B composed of a motor (see Fig. 6). A plurality of air bearings (not shown) are fixed to the bottom surface of the slider unit 60 around the magnet unit. The measuring stage MST is suspended and supported by the air bearing above the chassis 12 via a predetermined clearance (gap), for example, a gap of several μm, and is driven by the measuring stage driving system 51C to the X. Axis direction and Y axis direction. Further, although the measurement stage MST is an air suspension type, it may be, for example, a magnetic floating type using a planar motor.

In the measurement table MTB, various measuring members are provided on the +X side half of the portion of the -Y side end except for the strip portion (hereinafter also referred to as a handover portion as appropriate). As the measuring member, for example, as shown in FIG. 4(B), an illuminance unevenness sensor 95 having a pinhole-shaped light receiving portion for receiving illumination light IL on the image plane of the projection optical system PL is used for measuring the projection. A spatial image measuring device 96 of a pattern space image (projection image) projected by the optical system PL, for example, a Shack-Hartman wavefront aberration measuring device disclosed in International Publication No. 03/065428 97. An illuminance monitor 98 or the like that receives the illumination light IL on the image plane of the projection optical system PL by the light receiving portion having a predetermined area.

The illuminance unevenness sensor 95 can be configured, for example, in the same manner as disclosed in the specification of the U.S. Patent No. 4,465,368. Further, the space image measuring device 96 can be configured, for example, in the same manner as disclosed in the specification of the US Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0041377. The wavefront aberration sensor 97 can be, for example, one disclosed in International Publication No. 99/60361 (corresponding to European Patent No. 1079223). The illuminance monitor 98 can be configured in the same manner as disclosed in, for example, the specification of the US Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0061469.

Further, a pair of light receiving systems (not shown) are provided in the transfer unit in order to be able to face the one pair of light transmission systems (not shown). In the present embodiment, the space image measuring devices 451 and 452 (see FIG. 6) are formed in a state in which the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 and the measurement stage MST are within a predetermined distance in the Y-axis direction (including the contact state). Next, the illumination light IL of each of the spatial image measurement slit patterns SL transmitted through the measurement plate 30 on the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 is guided by each light transmission system (not shown) to be used in the measurement stage MST. Each light receiving system (not shown) The light receiving element receives light.

Further, in the present embodiment, the four measuring members (95, 96, 97, 98) are provided on the measuring table MTB, but the type, and/or the number of the measuring members are not limited thereto. The measuring member can be, for example, a transmittance measuring device for measuring the transmittance of the projection optical system PL, and/or can be used to observe the aforementioned partial liquid immersion device 8, for example, the nozzle unit 32 (or the front end lens 191). Measuring device, etc. Further, a member different from the member for measurement, for example, a cleaning member for cleaning the nozzle unit 32, the distal end lens 191, or the like, may be mounted on the measurement stage MST.

Further, in the present embodiment, the liquid immersion exposure for exposing the wafer W by the exposure light (illumination light) IL of the projection optical system PL and the liquid (water) Lq is performed in accordance with the measurement, and the measurement using the illumination light IL is performed. The above-described illuminance unevenness sensor 95, the spatial image measuring device 96, the wavefront aberration sensor 97, and the illuminance monitor 98 are used to receive the illumination light IL through the projection optical system PL and water. Further, for each sensor, for example, only one of the light receiving surface (light receiving portion) and the optical system that receives the illumination light IL through the projection optical system PL and water may be disposed on the measuring station MTB, or may be sensed. The device is integrally disposed on the measurement station MTB.

A two-dimensional grating 69 having a circumferential direction in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is provided on the -X side half of the portion other than the transfer portion of the measurement table MTB. On the upper surface of the measuring table MTB, a plate member 63 made of a transparent member whose surface is covered with a liquid-repellent film (water-repellent film) is fixed to cover the two-dimensional grating 69 and various measuring members. The plate member 63 is formed of the same material as the aforementioned plate member 28. A grating RGa identical to the grating RG described above is provided below the measuring station MTB (the surface on the -Z side).

Further, when the measurement stage drive system 51C is configured as a maglev type planar motor, for example, the measurement stage may be set as a single stage movable in a six-degree-of-freedom direction. Also The plate member 63 may not be provided for the measuring station MTB. In this case, as long as a plurality of openings respectively arranging the light receiving surfaces (light transmitting portions) of the plurality of sensors are formed on the measurement table MTB, for example, the light receiving surface in the opening substantially becomes the same surface as the upper surface of the measuring table MTB. In this way, at least a part of the sensor including the light receiving surface is disposed on the measuring station MTB.

The measuring stage MST can be engaged with the measuring arm 71A from the -X side, and in its engaged state, the measuring stage MTB is located immediately above the measuring arm 71A. At this time, the position information of the measuring station MTB is measured by irradiating the measuring beam of the grating RGa with a plurality of encoder reading heads of the measuring arm 71A.

Further, the measuring table MTB can approach the fine movement stage WFS (wafer table WTB1 or WTB2) supported by the coarse movement stage WCS from the +Y side to a distance or contact of, for example, about 300 μm or less, in the approaching or contacting state thereof. Together with the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2, it forms a fully flat surface that is integrated in appearance (see, for example, FIG. 10). The measuring station MTB (measuring stage MST) is driven by the main control unit 20 through the measuring stage driving system 51C, and the liquid immersion area (liquid Lq) is transferred between the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2. That is, one of the boundaries defining the boundary of the liquid immersion area formed under the projection optical system PL is replaced from the upper side of the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2 and the upper side of the measurement stage MTB to the other. Further, the transfer of the liquid immersion area (liquid Lq) between the measurement stage MTB and the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2 will be described later.

Next, the first micromotion for measuring the position information of the fine movement stage WFS (wafer table WTB1 or WTB2) movably held by the coarse movement stage WCS provided in the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 of the exposure station 200 will be described. The configuration of the stage position measuring system 110A (see Fig. 6). Here, for example, a case where the position information of the wafer table WTB1 provided in the wafer stage WST1 is measured will be described as an example, and the first fine movement stage position measuring system 110A will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the first back side encoder system 70A of the first fine movement stage position measuring system 110A is inserted into the coarse movement stage WCS while the wafer stage WST1 is placed under the projection optical system PL. Measuring arm 71A in the space portion.

As shown in FIG. 1, the measuring arm 71A has an arm member 711 that is supported by the support member 72A in a cantilever state on the main holder BD, and an encoder read head (at least a part of the optical system) which is described later and housed inside the arm member 711. That is, the read head is supported by the measuring member (also referred to as the supporting member or the metrology arm) including the arm member 711 of the measuring arm 71A and the supporting member 72A as the reading head of the first back side encoder system 70A ( Including at least a portion of the optical system is configured to be lower than the grating RG of the wafer table WTB1. Thereby, the measuring beam of the first back side encoder system 70A is irradiated to the grating RG from below. The arm member 711 is composed of a hollow columnar member having a rectangular cross section in the longitudinal direction of the Y-axis direction. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the arm member 711 has the width in the width direction (X-axis direction) which is the widest in the vicinity of the base end portion, and the position from the base end portion to the base end portion from the center in the longitudinal direction is along the front end side. It gradually becomes thinner, and it is substantially constant from the position from the center of the longitudinal direction to the front end. In the present embodiment, the read head of the first back side encoder system 70A is disposed between the grating RG of the wafer table WTB1 and the surface of the chassis 12. However, for example, a read head may be disposed below the chassis 12.

The arm member 711 is composed of a material having a low coefficient of thermal expansion, preferably a material that is 0-expanded (for example, a Zendur (trade name) of Shoude Co., Ltd.). Since the arm member 711 is hollow and has a wide base end portion, the rigidity is high, and the shape in plan view is set as described above, and is disposed in the arm member 711 in a state where the wafer stage WST1 is disposed below the projection optical system PL. When the tip end portion is inserted into the space portion of the coarse movement stage WCS, the wafer stage WST1 moves, but at this time, it is possible to prevent the wafer stage WST1 from being moved. Further, light is transmitted between the encoder read head described later (measurement beam) The optical fiber on the light transmitting side (light source side) and the light receiving side (detector side) passes through the hollow portion of the arm member 711. Further, the arm member 711 may be formed, for example, only by a portion through which an optical fiber or the like passes, and the other portion may be formed by a medium solid member. Further, in order to suppress the vibration of the specific frequency of the arm member 711 to be small, a mass damper (also referred to as a dynamic damper) having the specific frequency as the natural resonance frequency may be provided at the tip end portion thereof. Further, the vibration of the arm member 711 can be suppressed or prevented by the vibration suppressing member other than the mass damper. Further, the vibration suppressing member compensates for one of the measurement errors of the first back side encoder system 70A due to the vibration of the arm member 711, and the first top side encoder system 80A, which will be described later, is also one of the compensating devices. .

In a state where the wafer stage WST1 is disposed under the projection optical system PL, the tip end portion of the arm member 711 of the measuring arm 71A is inserted into the space portion of the coarse movement stage WCS, and as shown in FIG. A grating RG (not shown in FIG. 1 , see FIG. 3 (B), etc.) of the lower surface of the stage WFS (more precisely, the lower surface of the main body portion 81). The upper surface of the arm member 711 is disposed substantially parallel to the lower surface of the fine movement stage WFS in a state in which a predetermined gap (gap, clearance), for example, a gap of several mm is formed between the upper surface of the arm member 711 and the lower surface of the fine movement stage WFS. Further, the gap between the upper surface of the arm member 711 and the lower surface of the fine movement stage WFS may be several mm or more.

As shown in FIG. 7, the first back side encoder system 70A includes a three-dimensional encoder 73a that measures the positions of the fine motion stage WFS of the exposure station 200 in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, and X of the measurement micro-motion stage WFS. The XZ encoder 73b at the position of the axis and the Z-axis direction, and the YZ encoder 73c for measuring the positions of the Y-axis and the Z-axis direction of the fine movement stage WFS.

Each of the XZ encoder 73b and the YZ encoder 73c includes a two-dimensional read head that is accommodated in the arm member 711 of the measuring arm 71A and has a measurement direction in the X-axis and Z-axis directions, and is measured in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions. Two-dimensional reading of the direction. Below, for the convenience of explanation, XZ will be Each of the encoder 73b and the YZ encoder 73c is provided with a two-dimensional read head, and is denoted by the same reference numerals as the respective encoders, and is referred to as an XZ read head 73b and a YZ read head 73c. For each of the XZ read head 73b and the YZ read head 73c, an encoder read head (hereinafter referred to simply as a read head) having the same configuration as the displacement measurement read head disclosed in the specification of the U.S. Patent No. 7,561,280 can be used. Further, the three-dimensional encoder 73a includes a three-dimensional read head that is housed inside the arm member 711 of the measuring arm 71A and that has a measurement direction of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the three-dimensional read head included in the three-dimensional encoder 73a is labeled as a three-dimensional read head 73a using the same reference numerals as those of the encoder. As the three-dimensional read head 73a, for example, the XZ read head 73b and the YZ read head 73c can be combined so that each measurement point (detection point) is the same point and measurement can be performed in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction. 3D read head.

8(A) shows a front end portion of the arm member 711 in a perspective view, and FIG. 8(B) shows a plan view of the upper end portion of the arm member 711 viewed from the +Z direction. As shown in FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B), the three-dimensional read head 73a is located at a predetermined distance from the straight line LY1 on the straight line LX1 parallel to the X-axis (located from the center line CL of the arm member 711). The Y-axis is parallel to the two points of the equidistant distance (set to the distance a) (see the white circle of FIG. 8(B)), and the measurement beam LBxa1, LBxa2 is irradiated onto the grating RG (see FIG. 8(A)). Further, the three-dimensional reading head 73a irradiates the gratings RG with the measuring beams LBya1, LBya2 at two points on the straight line LY1 at positions which are all at a distance a from the straight line LX1. The measuring beams LBxa1, LBxa2 are irradiated to the same illumination point on the grating RG, and the measuring beams LBya1, LBya2 are also illuminated at the irradiation point. In the present embodiment, the irradiation points of the measurement light beams LBxa1 and LBxa2 and the measurement light beams LBya1 and LBya2, that is, the detection points of the three-dimensional read head 73a (see the symbol DP1 in FIG. 8(B)) are located on the illumination light irradiated on the wafer W. The IA center of the irradiation area (exposure area) of IL is directly below the exposure position (refer to FIG. 1). Here, the straight line LY1 coincides with the aforementioned reference axis LV.

The XZ read head 73b is disposed to separate the predetermined distance from the +Y side of the three-dimensional read head 73a. The location. As shown in Fig. 8(B), the XZ read head 73b is located at a position on the straight line LY2 (located at a predetermined distance from the straight line LX1 to the +Y side, parallel to the X-axis) at a position a distance a from the straight line LY1. (Refer to the white circle of Fig. 8(B)) The common irradiation spots on the grating RG are irradiated with the measuring beams LBxc1 and LBxc2 which are respectively shown by broken lines in Fig. 8(A). The illumination point of the measurement beams LBxc1, LBxc2, that is, the detection point of the XZ read head 73b is shown by the symbol DP3 in Fig. 8(B).

The YZ read head 73c is disposed at a position separated from the -X side of the three-dimensional read head 73a by a predetermined distance. The YZ read head 73c illuminates the grating RG at two points (see the white circle of FIG. 8(B)) at a position a distance a from the straight line LX1 on the straight line LY2 (symmetric with respect to the center line CL and the straight line LY). Light beams LByb1, LByb2. The measuring beams LByb1, LByb2 are illuminated at the same illumination point on the grating RG. The irradiation point of the measuring beams LByb1, LByb2, that is, the detection point of the YZ reading head 73c (refer to symbol DP2 in Fig. 8(B)) is a point at which a predetermined distance is separated from the point immediately below the exposure position to the -X side.

In the first back side encoder system 70A, the three-dimensional read head 73a which measures the positions of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis direction of the fine movement stage WFS by using the X diffraction grating of the grating RG and the Y diffraction grating respectively constitutes a three-dimensional shape. The encoder forms an XZ encoder by measuring the X-axis read head 73b of the X-axis and Z-axis directions of the micro-motion stage WFS using the X-ray diffraction grating of the grating RG, and measuring the micro-motion load by using the Y-circular lattice of the grating RG. The YZ read head 73c at the position of the Y-axis and the Z-axis direction of the table WFS constitutes a YZ encoder 73d. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the above encoders are denoted by the same symbols as the respective read heads as a three-dimensional encoder 73a (encoder 73a), an XZ encoder 73b (encoder 73b), and a YZ encoder 73c (encoder 73c). ).

The outputs of the encoders 73a, 73b, 73c of the first back side encoder system 70A are supplied to the main control unit 20 (refer to Fig. 7).

The main control unit 20 calculates the positions of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis direction of the fine movement stage WFS using the measured values of the three-axis directions (X, Y, Z) of the encoder 73a, and uses the Y-axis directions of the encoders 73a and 73c. The measured value is calculated in the θz direction of the fine movement stage WFS, and the position in the θy direction of the fine movement stage WFS is calculated using the measured values of the encoders 73a and 73c in the Z-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction measurement using the encoders 73a and 73b is used. The value is calculated in the θx direction of the fine movement stage WFS. Further, the position of the θz direction of the fine movement stage WFS can be calculated using the measured values of the encoders 73a and 73b in the X-axis direction.

Here, in the present embodiment, since the detection point DP1 of the three-dimensional read head 73a coincides with the exposure position in plan view, the position of the micro-motion stage WFS in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions is measured at the detection point DP1.

In the above-described read heads 73a to 73d, since the optical path length of the measuring beam in the air is extremely short and substantially equal, the influence of the air fluctuation can be almost ignored. Therefore, the position information in the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the fine movement stage WFS can be accurately measured by the first back side encoder system 70A. Further, the detection points on the substantially raster of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions of the first back side encoder system 70A are respectively located directly below the center (exposure position) of the exposure area IA (the exposure is uniform in plan view) The center of the region IA) can therefore suppress the occurrence of the so-called Abbe error to a level that can be substantially ignored. Therefore, the main control device 20 can accurately measure the position of the micro-motion stage WFS in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction without using the Abbe error by using the first back side encoder system 70A. . Further, although the first back side encoder system 70A can measure only the positional information in the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB1 (or the wafer stage WST1), it is preferable to use six degrees of freedom as in the present embodiment. The position information of the direction measurement information is measured by measuring at least one of the plurality of measurement beams to measure the position information of the wafer table WTB1 (or the wafer stage WST1). In this case, the main control unit 20 can use the wafer table WTB1 measured by the first back side encoder system 70A by using at least one measurement beam different from the plurality of measurement beams necessary for measuring the position information in the six-degree-of-freedom direction. The position information of the (or wafer stage WST1) is updated to compensate for the measurement error of the first back side encoder system 70A generated by the grating RG.

Next, the configuration of the first top side encoder system 80A constituting a part of the first fine movement stage position measuring system 110A will be described. The first top side encoder system 80A can measure the positional information of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB1 (micro-motion stage WFS) in parallel with the first back side encoder system 70A.

In the exposure apparatus 100, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, a pair of read heads 62A and 62C are respectively disposed on the +X side and the -X side of the projection unit PU (mouth unit 32). Each of the read heads 62A and 62C includes a plurality of read heads as will be described later, and the read heads are fixed to the main holder BD in a suspended state via a support member (not shown in FIG. 2, see FIG. 1 and the like).

As shown in FIG. 5, the read heads 62A and 62C are provided with five four-axis read heads 651 to 655 and 641 to 645. Inside the housing of the four-axis read heads 651 to 655, the XZ read heads 65X1 to 65X5 having the X-axis and Z-axis directions as measurement directions and the YZ read head 65Y1 with the Y-axis and Z-axis directions as measurement directions are housed. 65Y5. Similarly, inside the casing of the four-axis read heads 641 to 645, XZ read heads 64X1 to 64X5 and YZ read heads 64Y1 to 64Y5 are housed. Each of the XZ read heads 65X1 to 65X5 and 64X1 to 64X5, and the YZ read heads 65Y1 to 65Y5 and 64Y1 to 64Y5 can be coded in the same manner as the displacement measurement sensor read head disclosed in the specification of U.S. Patent No. 7,561,280. Read head.

XZ read head 65X1~65X4, 64X1~64X5 (more correctly, the XZ read head 65X1~65X5, 64X1~64X5 emits the measuring beam on the scale 391,392) It is disposed at a predetermined interval WD (see FIG. 2) on a line passing through the optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL (which is also coincident with the center of the exposure region IA in the present embodiment) and parallel to the X-axis (hereinafter referred to as a reference axis) ) LH. Also, the YZ read heads 65Y1 to 65Y5, 64Y1 to 64Y5 (more precisely, the YZ read heads 65Y1 to 65Y5, the irradiation points on the scales 391, 392 of the measuring beam emitted by 64Y1 to 64Y5) are parallel to the reference axis LH. Further, the line LH1 that is separated from the reference axis LH to the -Y side by a predetermined distance is disposed at the same X position as the corresponding XZ heads 65X1 to 65X5, 64X1 to 64X5. Hereinafter, the XZ read heads 65X1 to 65X5, 64X1 to 64X5, and the YZ read heads 65Y1 to 65Y5, 64Y1 to 64Y5 are also referred to as XZ read heads 65X, 64X and YZ read heads 65Y, 64Y, respectively, as necessary. Further, the reference axis LH coincides with the aforementioned straight line LX1.

The read heads 62A and 62C constitute an XZ linear encoder that measures the X-axis direction position (X position) of the wafer table WTB1 and the Z-axis direction position (Z position) by using the scales 391, 392, respectively. And YZ linear encoder for measuring the Y-axis direction position (Y position) and the Z-position multi-eye (here, five eyes). For convenience of explanation, the encoders are denoted by the same symbols as the XZ read heads 65X, 64X and the YZ read heads 65Y, 64Y, respectively, as XZ linear encoders 65X, 64X and YZ linear encoders 65Y, 64Y (refer to FIG. 7). ).

In the present embodiment, the XZ linear encoder 65X and the YZ linear encoder 65Y constitute a multi-eye (here, four eyes) for measuring the position information of the wafer table WTB1 in each of the X-axis, the Y-axis, the Z-axis, and the θx direction. The four-axis encoder 65 (see Fig. 7). Similarly, the XZ linear encoder 64X and the YZ linear encoder 64Y constitute a multi-eye (here, four eyes) for measuring the position information of the wafer table WTB1 in each of the X-axis, the Y-axis, the Z-axis, and the θx. The four-axis encoder 64 (refer to Fig. 7).

Here, the read heads 62A, 62C are respectively provided with four XZ read heads 65X, 64X (more Correctly speaking, it is the XZ read head 65X, the illumination point on the scale 391,392 of the measuring beam emitted by 64X) and the four YZ read heads 65Y, 64Y (more correctly, the measurement issued by the YZ read head 65Y, 64Y) The interval WD in the X-axis direction of the irradiation spot on the scales 391, 392 of the light beam is set to be narrower than the width of the scales 391, 392 in the X-axis direction.

Therefore, at the time of exposure or the like, at least one of the four XZ read heads 65X, 64X, YZ read heads 65Y, 64Y, respectively, will face the corresponding scales 391, 392 (which illuminate the measuring beam). Here, the width of the scale refers to the width of the diffraction grating (or the formation region), and more precisely to the range in which the position can be measured by the read head.

Therefore, the four-axis encoder 65 and the four-axis encoder 64 are configured to measure the six free positions of the wafer table WTB1 (micro-motion stage WFS) supported by the coarse movement stage WCS when the wafer stage WST1 is located at the exposure station 200. The first top side encoder system 80A of the position information in the direction of the direction. Here, the position in the θz direction of the wafer table WTB1 (micro-motion stage WFS) is obtained by using the difference between the positions of the four-axis encoder 65 and the four-axis encoder 64 measured in the Z-axis direction. The position in the θz direction of the circular table WTB1 (micro-motion stage WFS) is obtained by using the difference between the positions of the four-axis encoder 65 and the four-axis encoder 64 measured in the Y-axis direction.

In the present embodiment, one of the four-axis read heads 656 having the same configuration as the four-axis read heads 651 to 655 and 641 to 645 is disposed symmetrically with respect to the reference axis LV on the -Y side of each of the read heads 62A and 62C. 646. The XZ read head 65X6 and the YZ read head 65Y6 constituting the four-axis read head 656 are disposed at the same X position as the XZ read head 65X3. The XZ read head 64X6 and the YZ read head 64Y6 constituting the four-axis read head 646 are disposed at the same X position as the XZ read head 64X3.

The pair of four-axis read heads 656 and 646 are formed at the start of the state (parallel) from the measurement table MTB and the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2, which is described later, to the first micro-motion stage. The measuring system 110A measures the position information of the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2 in the six-degree-of-freedom direction by using a pair of scales 391, 392 during the measurement of the position of the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2. The encoder constitutes a third fine movement stage position measuring system 110C (refer to FIG. 6).

The measured values of the encoders constituting the first top side encoder system 80A and the third fine movement stage position measuring system 110C are supplied to the main control unit 20 (see FIGS. 6 and 7 and the like).

Further, although not shown, when the wafer stage WST1 is driven in the X-axis direction, the main control unit 20 controls the XZ heads 65X and 64X and the YZ heads 65Y and 64Y of the position information of the wafer table WTB1. The sequence is switched to the adjacent XZ read head 65X, 64X and YZ read head 65Y, 64Y. That is, in order to smoothly perform the switching (synchronization) of the XZ read head and the YZ read head, as described above, the interval WD setting of the adjacent XZ read head and YZ read head included in the read heads 62A, 62C is set. It is narrower in width in the X-axis direction than the scale 391,392.

As described above, in the present embodiment, when the wafer stage WST1 is located in the exposure station 200, the position information in the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB1 (micro-motion stage WFS) supported by the coarse movement stage WCS is The first back side encoder system 70A can be measured in parallel with the first top side encoder system 80A.

When the wafer stage WST2 is located at the exposure station 200, the six degrees of freedom of the wafer table WTB2 are measured by respectively irradiating the three-dimensional read head 73a, the XZ read head 73b and the YZ read head 73c of the measuring beam to the grating RG on the back side of the wafer table WTB2. The first back side encoder system 70A of the positional information of the direction is configured in the same manner as described above. Further, in this case, the five-eye four-axis encoder 65 respectively constituted by each of the five four-axis read heads of the read heads 62A, 62C of the measuring beam by the pair of scales 391, 392 on the upper surface of the wafer table WTB2 Measuring the coarse motion stage WCS with a four-axis encoder 64 The first top encoder system 80A of the position information in the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB2 (micro-motion stage WFS) supported is configured in the same manner as described above.

That is, in the present embodiment, regardless of whether or not any of the wafer stages WST1, WST2 is located in the exposure station 200, it is opposed to the fine movement stage WFS (supported by the coarse movement stage WCS of the exposure station 200). The read heads 73a to 73c included in the arm member 711 of the grating RG provided constitute the first back side encoder system 70A for measuring the position information of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the fine movement stage WFS, which are respectively opposed to the micro-motion load. The reading heads 62A, 62C of one of the pair of scales 391, 392, which are provided by the table WFS (supported by the coarse movement stage WCS of the exposure station 200), constitute the first top side for measuring the position information of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the micro-motion stage WFS. Encoder system 80A.

However, the first top side encoder system 80A and the first back side encoder system 70A each have the advantages and disadvantages described below. The first top side encoder system 80A is at least θx, for example, because the detection points of the plurality of read heads for position measurement in the θx, θy, and θz directions are wider than the first back side encoder system 70A. In terms of position measurement in the θy and θz directions, the coordinate of the first top side encoder system 80A is more reliable than the coordinate system of the first back side encoder system 70A.

On the other hand, the first back side encoder system 70A has an advantage that the deformation of the grating RG and the drift of the read heads 73a to 73c are small, and the static component of the measurement signal is highly reliable.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 is located in the exposure station 200, including the exposure time described later, the first back side encoder system 70A and the first top side encoder system 80A perform in parallel. Measurement of the position information of the micro-motion stage WFS (wafer table WTB1 or WTB2), and the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2 according to the position information of the higher reliability Position control. Hereinafter, for example, in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, the position measured by the first back side encoder system 70A is based on the position measured by the first top side encoder system 80A in the θx, θy, and θz directions. Information for position control of the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2.

Next, the configuration of the second fine movement stage position measuring system 110B (see FIG. 6) used for position information measurement of the fine movement stage WFS movably held by the coarse movement stage WCS of the measuring station 300 will be described. Here, the second fine movement stage position measuring system 110B will be described by taking, for example, a case where the position information of the wafer table WTB2 provided in the wafer stage WST2 is measured.

The second back side encoder system 70B of the second fine movement stage position measuring system 110B includes a measurement in which the wafer stage WST2 is placed under the alignment detecting system ALG and inserted into the space portion inside the coarse movement stage WCS. Arm 71B (see Fig. 1).

As shown in FIG. 1, the measuring arm 71B has an arm member 712 that is supported by the support member 72B in a cantilever state on the main holder BD, and an encoder read head (optical system) which is described later and housed inside the arm member 712. Although the length of the arm member 712 is longer than the arm member 711 described above, the measuring arm 71B is generally configured to be bilaterally symmetrical with the measuring arm 71A described above.

As described above, in the state in which the wafer stage WST2 is disposed below the alignment detecting system ALG, as shown in FIG. 1, the tip end portion of the arm member 712 of the measuring arm 71B is inserted into the space portion of the coarse movement stage WCS, and the upper surface thereof is opposed to The grating RG (not shown in FIG. 1 , see FIG. 3 (B), etc.) provided under the fine movement stage WFS (wafer table WTB2) (more precisely, the lower surface of the main body portion 81). The upper surface of the arm member 712 is disposed substantially parallel to the lower surface of the fine movement stage WFS in a state in which a predetermined gap (gap, clearance), for example, a gap of several mm is formed between the upper surface of the arm member 712 and the lower surface of the fine movement stage WFS.

As shown in FIG. 7, the second back side encoder system 70B includes the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis of the fine movement stage WFS, respectively, as in the first back side encoder system 70A. The three-dimensional encoder 75a at the position, the XZ encoder 75b that measures the positions of the micro-motion stage WFS in the X-axis and the Z-axis direction, and the YZ encoder 75c that measures the positions of the fine movement stage WFS in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions.

Each of the XZ encoder 75b and the XZ encoder 75c includes a two-dimensional read head that is accommodated in the arm member 712 and has a measurement direction in the X-axis and Z-axis directions, and a two-dimensional measurement direction in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions. Read the head. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the two-dimensional read heads respectively provided in the XZ encoder 75b and the XZ encoder 75c are denoted by the same reference numerals as the respective encoders, and are referred to as an XZ read head 75b and a YZ read head 75c. The three-dimensional encoder 75a includes a three-dimensional read head in which the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis direction are measurement directions. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the three-dimensional read head provided in the three-dimensional encoder 75a is labeled as the three-dimensional read head 75a by using the same reference numerals as those of the encoder. As the two-dimensional read heads 75b and 75c and the three-dimensional read head 75a described above, the same configuration as the two-dimensional read heads 73b and 73c and the three-dimensional read head 73a described above can be used.

The three-dimensional read head 75a and the two-dimensional read heads 75b and 75c are disposed inside the arm member 712 in the same positional relationship as the above-described three-dimensional read head 73a and two-dimensional read heads 73b and 73c. The detection center of the three-dimensional read head 75a coincides with the detection center located directly below the alignment position, that is, the alignment detection system ALG.

The outputs of the encoders 75a, 75b, 75c of the second back side encoder system 70B are supplied to the main control unit 20 (see Figs. 6 and 7).

When the wafer stage WST is located in the measurement station 300, for example, when wafer alignment is described later, the main control unit 20 performs the same measurement as described above based on the measured values of the read heads 75a to 75d of the second back side encoder system 70B. Position measurement of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB2. For the position measurement in this case, as long as the aforementioned exposure position is replaced with the alignment position, the foregoing description may be Apply directly.

Further, in the present embodiment, the detection point of the three-dimensional read head 75a is located immediately below the alignment position, and the position of the micro-motion stage WFS in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions is measured at the detection point.

Further, since the detection points on the substantially raster RG of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions of the second back side encoder system 70B are respectively coincident with the detection centers (alignment positions) of the alignment detecting system ALG, it is possible to suppress The so-called Abbe error is produced to a level that can be neglected in substance. Therefore, the main control device 20 can accurately measure the position of the micro-motion stage WFS in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction without using the Abbe error by using the second back side encoder system 70B. .

Next, the configuration of the second top side encoder system 80B constituting a part of the first fine movement stage position measuring system 110B will be described. The second top encoder system 80B can measure the position information of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB2 (micro-motion stage WFS) in parallel with the second back side encoder system 70B.

In the exposure apparatus 100, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, the read heads 62E and 62F are respectively disposed at the Y position on the -Y side of the read heads 62C and 62A and substantially the same as the alignment detection system ALG. Each of the read heads 62E and 62F includes a plurality of read heads as will be described later, and the read heads are fixed to the main holder BD in a suspended state via a support member.

As shown in FIG. 5, the read heads 62F and 62E are provided with five four-axis read heads 681 to 685, 671 to 675. The XZ read heads 68X1 to 68X5 and the YZ read heads 68Y1 to 68Y5 are accommodated in the casing of the four-axis read heads 681 to 685 in the same manner as the above-described four-axis read heads 651 to 655 and the like. Similarly, inside the casing of the four-axis read heads 671 to 675, XZ read heads 67X1 to 67X5 and YZ read heads 67Y1 to 67Y5 are housed. Each of the XZ read heads 68X1~68X5 and 67X1~67X5, and the YZ read heads 68Y1~68Y5 and 67Y1~67Y5 can be used, for example, with the US invention patent No. 7,561,280. The displacement measuring sensor disclosed in the specification is the same as the encoder reading head.

XZ read head 67X1~67X5, 68X1~68X5 (more correctly, XZ read head 67X1~67X5, 68X1~68X5 emits the measuring spot on the measuring beam 391,392), which is arranged along the aforementioned reference axis LA The X position is approximately the same as each of the XZ read heads 64X1~64X5 and 65X1~65X5.

YZ read head 67Y1~67Y5, 68Y1~68Y5 (more correctly, the YZ read head 67Y1~67Y5, the illumination point on the scale 391,392 of the measuring beam emitted by 68Y1~68Y5) is parallel to the reference axis LA and from The straight line LA1 in which the reference axis LA is separated from the -Y side by a predetermined distance is disposed at the same X position as the corresponding XZ read heads 67X1 to 67X5, 68X1 to 68X5. Hereinafter, the XZ read heads 68X1 to 68X5, 67X1 to 67X5, and the YZ read heads 68Y1 to 68Y5, 67Y1 to 67Y5 are also referred to as XZ read heads 68X, 67X and YZ read heads 68Y, 67Y, respectively, as necessary.

The read heads 62F, 62E constitute an XZ linear encoder that measures the multi-eye (here, five eyes) of the wafer table WTB2 at the X position and the Z position using the scales 391, 392, and the multi-eyes measuring the Y position and the Z position. YZ linear encoder with five eyes). For convenience of explanation, the encoders are denoted by the same symbols as the XZ read heads 68X, 67X and the YZ read heads 68Y, 67Y, respectively, and are also labeled as XZ linear encoders 68X, 67X and YZ linear encoders 68Y, 67Y (refer to Figure 7).

In this embodiment, the XZ linear encoder 68X and the YZ linear encoder 68Y constitute a multi-eye (here, five eyes) for measuring the position information of the wafer table WTB2 in each of the X-axis, the Y-axis, the Z-axis, and the θx direction. The four-axis encoder 68 (see Fig. 7). Similarly, the XZ linear encoder 67X and the YZ linear encoder 67Y constitute a multi-eye (here, five eyes) for measuring the position information of the wafer table WTB2 in each of the X-axis, the Y-axis, the Z-axis, and the θx. Four-axis encoder 67 (refer to the figure 7).

Here, for the same reason as described above, at least one of the five XZ read heads 68X, 67X, YZ read heads 68Y, 67Y, respectively, will be aligned to the corresponding scale 391, 392 at the time of alignment measurement. Irradiate the measuring beam). Therefore, the four-axis encoder 68 and the four-axis encoder 67 are configured to measure the six free positions of the wafer table WTB2 (micro-motion stage WFS) supported by the coarse movement stage WCS when the wafer stage WST2 is located at the measurement station 300. The second top side encoder system 80B of the position information in the direction of the direction.

The measured values of the encoders constituting the second top side encoder system 801B are supplied to the main control device 20 (see FIGS. 6 and 7 and the like).

As described above, in the present embodiment, when the wafer stage WST2 is positioned at the measurement station 300, the position information in the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB2 (micro-motion stage WFS) supported by the coarse movement stage WCS is The second back side encoder system 70B can be measured in parallel with the second top side encoder system 80B.

When the wafer stage WST1 is located at the measurement station 300, the six degrees of freedom of the wafer table WTB1 are measured by respectively irradiating the three-dimensional read head 75a, the XZ read head 75b and the YZ read head 75c of the measurement beam to the grating RG on the back side of the wafer table WTB1. The second back side encoder system 70B of the positional information of the direction is configured in the same manner as described above. Further, in this case, the five-eye four-axis encoder 68 is formed by respectively illuminating the scales 391, 392 on the upper surface of the wafer table WTB1 with the five-axis read heads of the read heads 62F, 62E of the measuring beam. The second top encoder system 80B that measures the position information in the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB1 (micro-motion stage WFS) supported by the coarse movement stage WCS is configured in the same manner as described above.

That is, in the present embodiment, regardless of any of the wafer stages WST1, WST2 Whether or not it is located at the measuring station 300, the read heads 75a to 75c built in the arm member 712 of the grating RG provided to the fine movement stage WFS (supported by the coarse movement stage WCS of the measurement station 300) The second back side encoder system 70B constituting the position information of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the fine movement stage WFS is respectively opposed to the fine movement stage WFS (supported by the coarse movement stage WCS of the measurement station 300) The read heads 62A, 62C having one pair of scales 391, 392 constitute a second top side encoder system 80B that measures position information in the six degrees of freedom direction of the fine movement stage WFS.

However, each of the second top encoder system 80B and the second back encoder system 70B has the same advantages and disadvantages as those of the first top encoder system 80A and the first back encoder system 70A described above.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 is located at the measurement station 300, including the alignment time to be described later, the second back side encoder system 70B and the second top side encoder system 80B are in parallel. The position information of the fine movement stage WFS (wafer table WTB1 or WTB2) is measured, and the position control of the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2 is performed based on the position information of the higher reliability. Hereinafter, for example, in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, the position measured by the second back side encoder system 70B is based on the position information measured by the second top side encoder system 70B in the θx, θy, and θz directions. Information for position control of the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2.

Further, the second back side encoder system 70B and the second top side encoder system 80B of the second fine movement stage position measuring system 110B can directly apply the previous first back side coding except for the contents described so far. Description of the first system encoder system 80A and the first top encoder system 80A.

In the present embodiment, a third top encoder system 80C (see FIG. 6) is also provided, and the measurement measuring station MTB (measuring stage MST) is moved from the standby position shown in FIG. 2 to the later description. The position information of the six degrees of freedom direction of the measuring station MTB when returning from the parallel position to the standby position at the column position or vice versa. As shown in Fig. 2, the third top side encoder system 80C includes a position of a two-dimensional grating 69 (see Fig. 4(B)) which is provided to the measuring table MTB of the measuring stage MST located at the standby position. One of the four-axis read heads 661, 662 disposed adjacent to each other in the X-axis direction, and one of the pair of four-axis read heads 661, 662 are disposed at a predetermined distance from the four-axis read heads 663, 664, and The pair of four-axis read heads 663, and 664 and the two four-axis read heads 644, 645 of the read head 62C are disposed adjacent to one of the four-axis read heads 665, 666 in the X-axis direction.

A pair of four-axis read heads 661, 662, a pair of four-axis read heads 663, and 664, and a pair of four-axis read heads 665 and 666 are respectively fixed to the main holder BD in a suspended state via a support member.

Each of the four-axis read heads 661, 662, 663, 664, 665, and 666 includes, in the same manner as the four-axis read heads 65, 65, 66, and 68 described above, each of the XZs in which the respective detection points are arranged along the Y-axis direction. Read head and YZ read head. A pair of four-axis read heads 661, 662, a pair of four-axis read heads 663, 664, and a pair of four-axis read heads 665, 666 respectively constitute six measuring stations MTB using a two-dimensional grating 69 provided on the measuring station MTB. One of the position information of the direction of freedom is a four-axis encoder. The third top side encoder system 80C is constituted by the three-pair four-axis encoder thus obtained. The measured values of the encoders constituting the third top side encoder system 80C are supplied to the main control unit 20 (refer to FIG. 6 and the like).

The plurality of encoder systems constituted by the third top encoder system 80C and the aforementioned read heads 73a to 73c of the measuring arm 71A that irradiates the measuring beam 71A on the grating Rga on the back side of the measuring table MTB constitute a measuring table position. Measurement system 16 (see Figure 6). In addition, the measuring station position measuring system 16 may not necessarily have the aforementioned reading heads 73a to 73c, and for example, only the third top side encoder system 80C may be provided. In this case, the third top side encoder can also be used in the parallel operation by changing the configuration (position) of the read head shown in FIG. 2 or by adding at least one read head. System 80C measures the position information of the measurement stage MST.

In the present embodiment, a measurement system 80D for measuring the position in the XY plane of the moving wafer stage WST1 or WST2 when the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 moves between the measurement station 300 and the exposure station 200 is further provided (refer to Figure 6). The measuring system 80D has a plurality of Hall elements arranged at predetermined intervals in a region between the reference axis LH inside the chassis 12 and the reference axis LA. The measurement system 80D measures the approximate position in the XY plane of the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 by changing the magnetic field generated by the magnets provided on the bottom surface of each coarse movement stage WCS after the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 moves in the XY plane. By. The measurement information of this measurement system 80D is supplied to the main control device 20 (refer to FIG. 6). Further, in the range where the first and second fine movement stage position measuring systems 110A and 110B cannot measure the position information of the wafer stage WST1 or WST2, that is, outside the aforementioned measurement range, the position information of the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 is measured. The measuring device is not limited to the measuring system 80D. For example, an interferometer system, a detecting method, and/or another measuring device constituting the same or different encoder system as the first and second top side encoder systems described above may be used.

The exposure apparatus 100 is further provided with an exposure coordinate group measurement system 34 disposed at a position in the vicinity of the exposure station 200 for moving from the measurement station 300 to the exposure station 200 side on the wafer stage WST1 or WST2. As described later, when the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2 approaches or contacts the measurement table MTB, the absolute coordinates of the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2 are measured for the origin return of the third fine movement stage position measurement system 110C. As will be described later, the first back side encoder system 70A and the first top of the first fine movement stage position measuring system 110A are performed using the measured values of the third fine movement stage position measuring system 110C that has performed the origin return (reset). Origin return of side encoder system 80A.

As shown in FIG. 2, the exposure coordinate group measurement system 34 includes a pair of image sensors 36a, 36b that are separated from the -Y side of the read heads 62A, 62C by a predetermined distance (for example, the Y-axis direction of the wafer table WTB1). The position of the distance 1/3 of the length is on the +X side and the -X side of the reference axis LV, and is separated from the reference axis LV by a distance of 1/2 of the length of the wafer table WTB1 in the X-axis direction by a little. And the configuration; one of the pair of image sensors 36a, 36b adjacent to the +Y side of the pair of Z sensors 38a, 38b, and the Y side of the Z sensor 38a are separated, for example, the wafer table WTB1 The Z sensor 38c is disposed at a distance of about 1/2 of the length in the Y-axis direction. The image sensors 36a, 36b and the Z sensors 38a to 38c are respectively fixed to the main holder BD in a suspended state via a supporting member.

The pair of image sensors 36a and 36b are located at a predetermined position, where the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) is located at a position (parallel start position) where the measurement table MTB approaches or contacts (the parallel start position) which will be described later. The aforementioned marks are respectively set on the edge portions of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) on both sides in the X-axis direction, and the X, Y positions of the marks of the object are measured based on the detection center. The Z sensors 38a to 38c are constituted, for example, by a read head of an optical displacement sensor similar to the optical pickup used in a CD drive device or the like, and respectively measure the Z position on the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2). The measured values of the image sensors 36a, 36b and the Z sensors 38a - 38c are supplied to the main control device 20.

Therefore, in the main control device 20, the position of the sixth degree of freedom of the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2 is simultaneously measured by the exposure coordinate group measurement system 34 and the third fine movement stage position measurement system 110C, and the image sensor 36a is used. The measured values (absolute positions) of the 36b and Z sensors 38a~38c will constitute one of the third micro-motion stage position measuring system 110C and the four-axis read heads 656, 646 constitute one of the measured values of the encoder. Therefore, the third micro-motion stage position measuring system is performed The origin return of 110C. Then, after the measurement value of the third fine movement stage position measuring system 110C after the origin return, the measurement is performed at the position of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) of the exposure station 200. The origin return of the first back side encoder system 70A and the first top side encoder system 70A of the fine movement stage position measuring system 110A, whereby the position of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) can be managed during exposure. The return of the coordinate system (the coordinate system at the time of exposure).

The exposure apparatus 100 is further provided with a measurement coordinate group measurement system 35 (refer to FIG. 6) disposed at a position near the measurement station 300 for performing the second back side encoder system of the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B. The origin return of the 70B and the second top encoder system 80B is performed, and the absolute coordinates of the wafer table WTB2 or WTB1 are measured when the wafer stage WST2 or WST1 is moved to the unloading position described later.

As shown in FIG. 2, the measurement coordinate group measurement system 35 includes a pair of image sensors 36c, 36d that are separated from the -Y side of the read heads 62F, 62E by a predetermined distance and separated from the reference axis LV. 1/2 of the length of the X-axis direction of the WTB2 is arranged to be a little shorter than the same distance; adjacent to the +Y side of each of the pair of image sensors 36c, 36d and close to the -Y side of the read heads 62F, 62E One of the Z sensors 38d, 38e, and the Z sensor 38f disposed to the -Y side of the Z sensor 38d is separated by, for example, a half of the length of the wafer table WTB2 in the Y-axis direction. The image sensors 36c, 36d and the Z sensors 38f to 38f are respectively fixed to the main holder BD in a suspended state via a supporting member.

The pair of image sensors 36c and 36d capture the aforementioned marks respectively provided on the edge portions of the wafer table WTB2 (or WTB1) on both sides in the X-axis direction, and measure the mark X of the subject with the detection center as a reference. , Y position. The Z sensors 38d to 38f are formed, for example, by reading heads of the same optical displacement sensors as the aforementioned Z sensors 38a to 38c, respectively, and measuring the wafer table Z position above WTB2 (or WTB1). The measured values of the image sensors 36c, 36d and the Z sensors 38d to 38f are supplied to the main control device 20.

Therefore, when the main control unit 20 moves the wafer stage WST2 or WST1 to an unloading position to be described later, the measurement coordinate group measurement system 35 and the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B simultaneously measure the wafer table WTB2 or WTB1. At the position, the second back side encoder system 70B and the second top of the second fine movement stage position measuring system 110B are used using the measured values (absolute positions) of the image sensors 36c and 36d and the Z sensors 38d to 38f. The origin return of the side encoder system 80B, whereby it is possible to manage the coordinate system (measurement coordinate system) at the position of the wafer table WTB2 (or WTB1) of the measuring station 300 when a series of measurements including the alignment measurement and the like are described. Return.

As shown in FIG. 5, the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment has a predetermined position between the exposure position and the alignment position on the reference axis LV, for example, a predetermined distance from the alignment detection system ALG on the reference axis LV, for example, to the +Y direction. The unloading position UP1 is set at a position separated by a distance of about 2/3 in the Y-axis direction of the wafer table WTB2, and standby positions UP2 and UP3 are set at positions separated from the unloading position UP1 to the +X side and the -X side by a predetermined distance. .

A first unloading slider (not shown) is provided at the unloading position UP1, and the exposed wafer W supported on the wafer holder by the upper and lower driving pins is approached from above and held at the plurality of sides. It is composed of an arm member that is held upward. The first unloading slider can hold the wafer in a state in which the wafer surface is not in contact. The first unloading slider is attached to the main bracket BD via an anti-vibration member (not shown).

A second unloading slider (not shown) is provided at the wafer standby position UP2, and the wafer W held by the first unloading slider is taken from below and held, and can be moved up and down to pass the +X above the chassis 12. The side end path transports the wafer to a wafer transfer location with an external device. with In the sample, a third unloading slider (not shown) is provided at the wafer standby position UP3, and the wafer W held by the first unloading slider is taken from below and held, and can be moved up and down through the chassis 12 The path of the -X side end transports the wafer to a wafer transfer position with an external device. The second and third unloading sliders are supported by other brackets that are separated from the main bracket BD by vibration. Further, the means for unloading the wafer is not limited to the above configuration as long as the wafer W can be held and moved. Further, the unloading position of the wafer W is not limited to be between the projection optical system PL and the alignment detecting system ALG. For example, as in the modification described later, the relative alignment detecting system ALG is unloaded on the side opposite to the projection optical system PL. .

Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the reference mark FM whose mounting position LP is set on the measuring board 30 is positioned at the position (detection area) of the alignment detecting system ALG (that is, alignment detection is performed). It is the baseline measurement of ALG (the position of the first half of Pri-BCHK).

Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing the relationship between the input and output of the main control unit 20 constituting each unit, which is mainly constituted by the control system of the exposure apparatus 100. The main control device 20 includes a workstation (or a microcomputer) or the like, and the system controls the components of the exposure device 100. Fig. 7 is a view showing an example of a specific configuration of the first and second fine movement stage position measuring systems 110A and 110B of Fig. 6.

Next, a parallel processing operation using the wafer stages WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST in the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 9 to 20 . Further, in the following operation, the main control device 20 controls the liquid supply device 5 and the liquid recovery device 6 of the partial liquid immersion device 8 in the above-described manner, thereby filling the water close to the projection optical system PL at any time. Below the front lens 191. However, in the following, in order to make the description easy to understand, the description related to the control of the liquid supply device 5 and the liquid recovery device 6 will be omitted. In the following, in order to make the description easy to understand, the description related to the control of the liquid supply device 5 and the liquid recovery device 6 will be omitted. In addition, in FIGS. 9 to 20, the illustration of the chassis 12, the tube carriers TC1, TC2, and the like is omitted. Again, after Although the description of the operation will use most of the drawings, the same member may be given a symbol in each drawing, and may not be given. In other words, the symbols described in the respective drawings are different, but the same configuration is used regardless of whether or not the symbols are in the drawings. This point is also the same as the ones used in the description so far. Further, in Fig. 9, the measurement stage MST is simplified.

Further, the read heads, the AF system, the alignment detecting system, and the like of the first to second back side encoder systems 70A and 70B and the first to third top side encoder systems 80A to 80C are used. Or, it is set to the ON state from the OFF state immediately before its use, but in the following description of the operation, the description related to this point is omitted.

FIG. 9 shows that the wafer stage WST2 of the pre-exposure wafer (set to W2) after the wafer alignment measurement and the focus map described later is held at a predetermined standby position, and the main control device 20 is along the map. The path indicated by the black arrow moves the wafer stage WST1 while exposing the area of the +X side half of the wafer (set to W1) held on the wafer table WTB1. The exposure of the region of the +X side half of the wafer W1 is performed in the order from the irradiation region on the -Y side to the irradiation region on the +Y side. Prior to this, the wafer W1 moves along the path indicated by the black arrow displayed on the wafer stage WST2 in FIG. 16 while the area of the -X side half follows the irradiation area on the +Y side toward -Y. The sequence of the illuminated areas on the side ends the exposure. Thereby, at the time when the exposure of all the irradiation areas of the wafer W1 is completed, the wafer stage WST1 returns to a position substantially the same as the position before the start of exposure. Further, the position of the wafer stage WST2 at this time is managed by the main control unit 20 in accordance with the measured value of the aforementioned measurement system 80D.

In the present embodiment, the exposure order of the irradiation region described above is used. However, the entire length of the path of the wafer stage WST1 for exposure is exposed to the same size of the wafer in the same irradiation pattern, and for example, the United States. Invention patent application disclosure There is no significant difference between the conventional immersion scanners and the like disclosed in the specification of 2008/0088843 and the like.

In the above exposure, the measured values of the first fine movement stage position measuring system 110A, that is, the measured values of the four-axis read heads 65 and 64 respectively facing the scales 391, 392, that is, the first top side encoder system described above. The position information of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB1 measured by the 80A (the measured value of the position) and the position information of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB1 measured by the first back side encoder system 70A (measurement of the position) Provided to the main control device 20, the servo control of the position of the wafer table WTB1 is performed by the main control device 20 based on the measured value of the higher reliability. Further, the position of the wafer table WTB in the Z-axis direction, the control of the θy rotation, and the control of the θx rotation (the focus leveling control of the wafer W) are based on the aforementioned focus mapping performed beforehand (this point will be described later) The result is carried out.

In the exposure operation of the step-and-scan method described above, after the wafer stage WST1 moves in the X-axis direction, the read head of the first top-side encoder system 80A is switched in accordance with the movement (measurement between the plurality of heads) Continued). In this manner, the main controller 20 appropriately switches the encoder of the first top encoder system 80A to be used in accordance with the position coordinates of the wafer stage WST1, and performs driving of the wafer stage WST1.

In parallel with the exposure of the irradiation region of the +X side half of the wafer described above, the exposed wafer (set to W0) transferred from the standby position UP3 to the transfer position before the exposure is transported by a not shown The robot arm is handed over to the wafer transfer system (not shown) and carried out outside the conventional device.

The main control device 20, in parallel with the exposure of the illumination region of the +X side half of the wafer W1 described above, according to the measured value of the third top side encoder system 80C, the measurement stage MST is in the XY plane from FIG. The standby position shown by the imaginary line is driven to the side by side shown by the solid line. Thereby, the main control device 20 switches the four-axis read head of the third top side encoder system 80C to The line measures the drive of the stage MST. Thereby, the wafer stage WST1 and the measurement stage MST separated from each other during the exposure are moved to a state in which the wafer table WTB1 and the measurement stage MTB are in contact with each other (also referred to as a parallel state). At the time of the contact or approaching state, the measuring stage MST is engaged with the measuring arm 71A from the lateral side (side). In order to be able to engage the measuring arm 71A from the lateral side of the measuring stage MST, the measuring table MTB of the measuring stage MST is cantilevered on the slider 60 via the support portion 62.

Next, the main control device 20 maintains the state in which the wafer table WTB1 is in contact with or close to the measurement table MTB, and moves the measurement stage MST in the -Y direction as shown by two white arrows in FIG. The round stage WST1 moves in the -X direction in addition to the -Y direction. Thereby, the liquid immersion area 14 (liquid Lq) formed under the projection unit PU is moved (transferred) from the wafer table WTB1 to the measurement stage MTB, and the liquid immersion area 14 is maintained by the projection optical system PL and the measurement stage MTB ( Liquid Lq). Further, at this time, the wafer stage WST1 is also moved in the -X direction in order to start the next operation, that is, the exchange operation between the wafer stage WST1 and the wafer stage WST2, in a shorter time after the exposure is completed.

At the stage where the above-described liquid immersion area 14 (liquid Lq) is transferred from the wafer table WTB1 to the measurement stage MTB, the main control device 20 can be based on the first back side encoder using the grating RGa provided on the back side of the measurement table MTB. The measured value of system 70A controls the position of measurement station MTB via measurement stage drive system 52B (see Figure 6). Therefore, the main control device 20 can perform the measurement operation associated with the desired exposure while controlling the position of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the measurement table MTB.

Immediately after the liquid immersion area 14 (liquid Lq) moves from the wafer table WTB1 to the measurement table MTB after the transition to the above-mentioned contact or proximity state, the wafer stage WST1 is moved from the first fine movement stage position measuring system 110A. The measurement range is deviated, and the wafer table WTB1 position cannot be measured by the first top side encoder system 80A and the first back side encoder system 70A. In front of it The main control device 20 switches the position measuring system for position control of the wafer stage WST1 (wafer table WTB1) from the first fine movement stage position measuring system 110A to the aforementioned measuring system 80D.

Thereafter, the main control device 20 drives the wafer stage WST1 in the -X direction to a position that is not opposite to the wafer stage WST2 that is waiting at the standby position described above, as indicated by a white arrow in FIG. 11 (refer to the figure). 12).

Next, the main control device 20 drives the wafer stage WST2 in the +Y direction in parallel with the wafer stage WST1 in the -Y direction as indicated by a white arrow in FIG. Thereby, after the above-mentioned contact or approach state is released, the wafer stage WST1 moves to below the standby position UP3. In parallel with this, the wafer stage WST2 moves to the -X side end of the +Y side of the wafer table WTB2, and maintains the liquid immersion area 14 (liquid Lq) together with the projection optical system PL in the Y-axis direction. The +X side end of the surface on the -Y side of the measuring table MTB is in contact with or close to the position (see Fig. 13).

Next, the main control device 20 drives the wafer stage WST2 in the -X direction in parallel with the wafer stage WST1 being driven in the +X direction as indicated by a white arrow in FIG. Thereby, the wafer stage WST2 moves to the position where the image sensors 36a and 36b and the Z sensors 38a to 38c of the exposure coordinate group measurement system 34 simultaneously face the wafer table WTB2, and the wafer stage WST1 stands by. Move below the position UP3 to the unloading position UP1 (refer to Fig. 14).

After the wafer stage WST2 is moved to the position shown in FIG. 14, the main control unit 20 temporarily switches the position measurement system for the position control of the wafer table WTB2 (wafer stage WST2) from the aforementioned measurement system 80D to the third. Micro-motion stage position measuring system 110C. That is, the main control unit 20 simultaneously measures the position of the six-degree-of-freedom of the wafer table WTB2 by the exposure coordinate group measurement system 34 and the third fine movement stage position measurement system 110C, and uses the exposure coordinate group for measurement. The measured values (absolute positions) of system 34 (image sensors 36a, 36b and Z sensors 38a-38c) will constitute one of the third micro-motion stage position measuring system 110C for four-axis heads 656, 646. One of the measurements of the encoder is reset, whereby the origin return of the third fine motion stage position measuring system 110C is performed. Thereafter, the position control of the wafer table WTB2 is performed based on the measured value of the third fine movement stage position measuring system 110C. Further, in a state where the wafer stage WST2 is moved to the position shown in FIG. 14, the wafer table WTB2 is in a state of being brought into contact with or close to the measurement table MTB in the Y-axis direction in order to perform the transfer of the liquid immersion area (parallel state). In other words, in the present embodiment, the origin return (measurement value reset) of the third fine movement stage position measuring system 110C is performed at the position where the wafer table WTB2 is aligned with the measurement table MTB. The method of performing the origin return of the third fine movement stage position measuring system 110C at the parallel starting position is provided with the aforementioned mark at a predetermined position on the wafer table WTB2.

In the present embodiment, after the main control device 20 starts the holding of the liquid immersion area 14 (liquid Lq) by the above-described projection optical system PL and the measurement stage MTB, the main control unit 20 is in the period from the start of the wafer table WTB2 to the parallel of the measurement table MTB. In a part of the period, the measuring member of the measuring station MTB, that is, the aforementioned illuminance unevenness sensor 95, the space image measuring device 96, the wavefront aberration measuring device 97, and the illuminance monitor 98 may be used as necessary. At least one of performing exposure-related measurement, that is, illuminance unevenness measurement, spatial image measurement, wavefront aberration measurement, and the illumination light IL received by the projection optical system PL and the liquid Lq through the light-receiving surface of each measuring device At least one of the dose measurements.

On the other hand, after the wafer stage WST1 reaches the unloading position UP1, the main control unit 20 releases the wafer holder to absorb the exposed wafer W, and drives the upper and lower moving pins (not shown) to drive the wafer. Round W1. At this point, the position of the upper and lower pins is maintained to the wafer stage. WST1 arrives at the loading position LP and starts loading of the next wafer.

Next, the main control device 20 holds the wafer W1 from above by the first unloading slider as described above, and lifts it up from the wafer stage WST1. The wafer W1 is maintained at a position above the unloading position UP1 until the wafer stage WST1 approaches the loading position LP.

Next, the main control device 20 maintains the wafer stage WTB2 and the measurement stage MST to + as shown by two upward white arrows in a state in which the wafer table WTB2 is in contact with or close to the measurement table MTB. Drive in the Y direction. Thereby, the liquid immersion area 14 (liquid Lq) formed under the projection unit PU is moved (transferred) from the measuring table MTB to the wafer table WTB2, and the liquid immersion area is maintained by the projection optical system PL and the wafer table WTB2. 14 (liquid Lq) (refer to Fig. 15).

When the transfer of the liquid immersion area 14 is completed, the measurement arm 71A is inserted into the space portion of the wafer stage WST2, and the back surface (grating RG) of the wafer table WTB2 is opposed to the read heads 73a to 73d of the measurement arm 71A. The read heads 62A and 62C are opposed to the scales 391 and 392 (see FIG. 15). That is, the position of the wafer table WTB2 can also be measured by the third fine movement stage position measuring system 110C and the first fine movement stage position measuring system 110A. Therefore, the main control device 20 sets the first back side encoder of the first fine movement stage position measuring system 110A again based on the position coordinates of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB2 measured by the third fine movement stage position measuring system 110C. The measured values of the system 70A and the first top side encoder system 80A are used to return the origins of the first back side encoder system 70A and the first top side encoder system 80A. In this manner, the regression of the coordinate system at the time of exposure of the position of the wafer table WTB2 moving within the exposure station 200 is performed. In addition, as long as the first micro-motion stage position measuring system 110A and the exposure coordinate group measuring system 34 can simultaneously measure the position of the wafer table WTB2 in the six-degree-of-freedom direction, it can also be measured by the third The origin return of the fine movement stage position measuring system 110C is the same as the origin of the first back side encoder system 70A and the first top side encoder system 80A.

The main control device 20 manages the position of the wafer table WTB2 based on the position information of the higher reliability of the first back side encoder system 70A and the first top side encoder system 80A after the regression of the above-described exposure coordinate system. .

In parallel with the above-described driving of the wafer stage WST2 for transferring the liquid immersion area 14 and the +Y direction of the measurement stage MST, the main controller 20 drives the wafer stage WST1 to the loading position LP. During the drive, it becomes impossible to measure the position of the wafer stage WST1 (wafer table WTB1) by the measurement system 80D. Therefore, the main control device 20 will be used for the wafer before the wafer stage WST1 is separated from the measurement range of the measurement system 80D, for example, when the wafer stage WST1 reaches the position indicated by the imaginary line (two-point chain line) in FIG. The position measuring system for the position control of the wrap 1 WTB1 (wafer stage WST1) is switched from the aforementioned measuring system 80D to the second fine moving stage position measuring system 110B. That is, when the wafer stage WST1 reaches the position indicated by the imaginary line (two-point chain line) in FIG. 15, the measuring arm 71B is inserted into the space portion of the wafer stage WST1, and the back side (raster RG) of the wafer table WTB1 is paired The read heads 75a-75c of the measuring arm 71B are oriented, and the read heads 62F, 62E are opposed to the scales 391, 392. Further, at this time, it is possible to measure the absolute position of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB1 by the measurement coordinate group measurement system 35. Therefore, the main control device 20 uses the measurement coordinate group measurement system 35 and the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B to simultaneously measure the position of the wafer table WTB1 in the six-degree-of-freedom direction. Next, in the same manner as described above, the main control device 20 sets the second back side encoder system 70B of the second fine movement stage position measuring system 110B again based on the absolute position of the wafer table WTB1 measured by the measurement coordinate group measurement system 35. The second back side encoder system 70B and the second top side encoder are measured values of the second top side encoder system 80B. The origin return of system 80B. In this way, the regression of the coordinate system for managing the position of the wafer table WTB1 moving within the measurement station 300 is performed.

The measurement coordinate system measurement system 35 can perform the measurement of the absolute position of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB1, and thus the switching from the above-described measurement system 80D to the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B, that is, the measurement The return of the coordinate system can be carried out in a short time.

The main control device 20 manages the wafer table WTB1 based on the position information of the higher reliability of the second back side encoder system 70B and the second top side encoder system 80B after the regression of the coordinate system described above. At the position, the wafer stage WST1 is positioned at the loading position LP (see FIG. 15).

After the wafer stage WST1 is driven to the loading position LP and is separated from the unloading position UP1, as shown by a black arrow in FIG. 15, the wafer W1 located above the unloading position UP1 moves to the standby position UP2. This movement is performed by the main control unit 20 in the following order.

That is, the second unloading slider is moved below the wafer W1 located above the unloading position UP1, and after the wafer W1 is transferred from the first unloading slider to the second unloading slider, the wafer W1 is held. The second unloading slider moves to the standby position UP2. The wafer W1 is maintained in a state where the second unloading slider is held at the predetermined height position of the standby position UP2 until the serial measurement operation of one of the next wafers, that is, the alignment measurement and the focus mapping, is completed, and the wafer stage WST2 is completed. Move to the established standby position.

At the loading position LP, a new wafer W3 before exposure (here, a wafer in the middle of a batch (25 sheets or 50 sheets in a batch) is loaded on the wafer table WTB1 in the following order. That is, the wafer W held by the loading arm (not shown) is transferred to the lower side of the state in which the load is raised from the loading arm, and after the loading arm is retracted, the wafer W is lowered by the upper and lower moving pins. The load is placed on a wafer holder and adsorbed by a vacuum clamp (not shown). In this case, since the up-and-down moving pin is maintained in a state of being quantitative, the wafer loading can be performed in a shorter time than when the upper and lower moving pins are housed inside the wafer holder. Fig. 15 shows a state in which the wafer W3 before the new exposure is loaded on the wafer table WTB1.

On the other hand, in parallel with the movement of the wafer stage WST1 to the loading position LP and the loading of the wafer W3, the wafer stage WST2 is in a state of maintaining or approaching the measurement stage MTB and the wafer table WTB2, as shown in FIG. The two white arrows are respectively displayed to move toward the exposure start position of the wafer W2, that is, the acceleration start position for the exposure of the first irradiation region. Before the start of the movement, as shown in FIG. 15, in a state where the measuring plate 30 of the wafer stage WST2 is disposed at a position immediately below the projection optical system PL, the main control device 20 stops the two stages WST2 as necessary. MST, the second half of BCHK processing and the second half of focus calibration.

Here, the processing of the latter half of BCHK means that the reticle R projected by the projection optical system PL is measured using the aforementioned aerial image measuring devices 451, 452 including the measuring board 30 (or the reticle on the reticle stage RST). The processing of the projection image (spatial image) of the measurement mark is shown by one of the markers. In this case, for example, the same as the method disclosed in the specification of the US Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0041377, etc., a space image measuring operation using a slit scanning method using a pair of aerial image measuring slit patterns SL, respectively, is measured. The spatial image of the mark is measured, and the measurement result (the spatial image intensity corresponding to the XY position of the wafer table WTB2) is stored in the memory.

Moreover, the processing of the second half of the focus calibration means that the position information of the XZ read head 65X3, 64X3 is measured by measuring one of the positional information of the wafer wafer WTB2 on the side of the X-axis direction and the other end. As a reference, the space image measuring device 451 is used while controlling the position (Z position) of the measuring plate 30 (wafer table WTB2) in the optical axis direction of the projection optical system PL. The 452 measures the spatial image of the measurement mark on the reticle R by a slit scanning method, and determines the optimum focus position of the projection optical system PL based on the measurement result.

At this time, since the liquid immersion area 14 is formed between the projection optical system PL and the measuring board 30 (wafer table WTB), the measurement of the above-described aerial image is performed by the projection optical system PL and the liquid Lq. Further, since the measuring plate 30 of the space image measuring device 45 or the like is mounted on the wafer stage WST2 (wafer table WTB2), and the light receiving element or the like is mounted on the measurement stage MST, the measurement of the aerial image is performed on the wafer stage WST and the measurement. The stage MST is contacted or approached.

By the above measurement, the measured value of one of the XZ read heads 65X3, 64X3 in the state where the center line of the wafer table WTB2 coincides with the reference axis LV is obtained (that is, the wafer table WTB2 is on the X-axis side side). The position information of the other end is). This measured value corresponds to the best focus position of the projection optical system PL.

After the processing of the latter half of the BCHK and the second half of the focus calibration, the main control unit 20 calculates the baseline of the alignment detection system ALG based on the result of the processing of the first half of the BCHK (described later) and the result of the second half of the BCHK. Further, at the same time, the main control unit 20 pairs the XZ read heads 68X3, 67X3 in a state in which the center line of the wafer table WTB2 obtained by the first half of the focus calibration (which will be described later) coincides with the reference axis LV. The relationship between the measured value (surface position information of one side of the wafer table WTB2 on the X-axis direction and the other end) and the detection result (surface position information) of the AF system (90a, 90b) at the detection point on the surface of the measuring board 30 And the measurement of the XZ read head 65X3, 64X3 in a state in which the center line of the wafer table WTB2 corresponding to the best focus position of the projection optical system PL obtained by the processing of the second half of the focus calibration is coincident with the reference axis LV The value (that is, the surface position information of the wafer table WTB2 on the side in the X-axis direction and the other end), and the offset in the detection point of the AF system (90a, 90b) is obtained, and by, for example, an optical method Inspection of the AF system The origin is adjusted so that the offset becomes zero.

In this case, from the viewpoint of productivity improvement, only one of the processing of the second half of the above-mentioned BCHK and the latter half of the focus calibration may be performed, or the processing may be performed to the next processing without performing the processing of both parties. Of course, in the case of not processing the second half of BCHK, it is not necessary to perform the aforementioned processing of the first half of BCHK.

After the above operation is completed, as shown in FIG. 16, the main control device 20 drives the measurement stage MST in the -X direction and the +Y direction, and releases the state in which the two stages WST, MST are in contact or close.

Next, the main control device 20 performs exposure in the step-and-scan mode to transfer the reticle pattern onto the new wafer W2. This exposure operation is repeated by the main control device 20 according to the result of the wafer alignment (EGA) performed beforehand (arranged coordinates of all the illumination areas on the wafer) and the latest baseline of the alignment detection system ALG. The wafer stage WST transfers the irradiation operation between the scanning start position (acceleration start position) for exposing the respective irradiation areas on the wafer W, and transfers the pattern formed on the reticle R to each irradiation by scanning exposure. The scanning exposure operation of the area is performed by this. Further, the above-described exposure operation is performed in a state where the liquid (water) Lq is held between the distal end lens 191 and the wafer W.

Further, in the present embodiment, for example, since the first irradiation region to be initially exposed is set in the irradiation region at the +Y end portion of the -X side half of the wafer W2, first, in order to move to the acceleration start position, the wafer is loaded. The WST system moves in the +X direction and in the +Y direction.

Next, the area of the -X side half of the wafer W2 is moved from the irradiation area on the +Y side to the irradiation area on the -Y side while moving the wafer stage WST2 along the path indicated by the black arrow in FIG. Sequential exposure.

In parallel with the exposure of the -X side half region of the wafer W2, the loading operation of the wafer W3 is continued on the wafer stage WST1 side to perform one of the following series of measurement operations.

First, when the wafer stage WST1 is at the loading position LP, the processing of the first half of the baseline measurement (BCHK) of the alignment detection system ALG is performed. Here, the first half of the BCHK processing means the following processing. That is, the main control device 20 detects (observes) the reference mark FM located at the center of the aforementioned measuring board 30 with the alignment detecting system ALG, and measures the detection result of the alignment detecting system ALG and the micro-motion stage position measurement at the time of detection. The measured values of the system 110B are assigned to the corresponding relationship and stored in the memory. In the present embodiment, the first half of the BCHK may be processed in parallel with at least a part of the loading operation of the wafer W described above.

Following the first half of BCHK processing, when the wafer stage WST1 is at the loading position LP, the first half of the focus calibration is performed.

That is, the main control unit 20 detects the position information of the wafer table WTB1 detected by one of the second top side encoder systems 80B on the X-axis direction side and the other side end portion of the wafer table WTB1 detected by the XZ read heads 68X3, 67X3. (Z position information of the scale 391,392), the surface position information of the surface of the measuring plate 30 described above is detected using the AF system (90a, 90b) based on the reference plane obtained from the information. Thereby, the measured value of one of the XZ read heads 68X3, 67X3 in the state where the center line of the wafer table WTB1 coincides with the reference axis LV is obtained (the wafer table WTB1 is on the X-axis direction side and the other side end portion). The position information of the surface is related to the detection result (surface position information) of the AF system (90a, 90b) at the detection point on the surface of the measuring board 30.

Next, the main control unit 20 starts the focus map using the four-axis read heads 67, 68 of the second top side encoder system 80B and the AF system (90a, 90b).

Here, the focus map performed by the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment will be described. At this focus mapping, the main control unit 20 manages the position in the XY plane of the wafer table WTB1 based on the measured values of the two four-axis read heads 67, 68 of the second top side encoder system 80B to the scales 391, 392, respectively. .

Next, in this state, the main control device 20 moves the wafer stage WST1 in a stepwise movement in the X-axis direction as indicated by a white arrow in FIG. 16 to perform high-speed scanning in the -Y direction and the +Y direction, and In the high-speed scanning, the X-axis direction of the surface of the wafer table WTB1 (the surface of the plate member 28) measured by each of the two four-axis encoders 67, 68 is taken at a predetermined sampling interval (a pair of second water-repellent plates) 28b) position information in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions and position information (surface position information) of the surface of the wafer W in the Z-axis direction at each detection point detected by the AF system (90a, 90b), and The information obtained from each other is sequentially stored in a memory (not shown).

Next, the main control device 20 ends the above sampling, and converts the surface position information of each detection point of the AF system (90a, 90b) into two Z-axis encoders 67 and 68 for simultaneous measurement. The location information of the direction is used as the reference material.

More specifically, according to the measured value of the Z position of one of the four-axis read heads 67, the area near the -X side end portion of the plate member 28 (the second water-repellent plate 28b on which the scale 392 is formed) is obtained. The point (corresponding to the point on the X-axis which is substantially the same as the detection point of the AF system (90a, 90b): this point is referred to as the left-side measurement point). Further, based on the measured value of the Z position of the other four-axis read head 68, the predetermined point on the region near the +X side end of the plate member 28 (the second water-repellent plate 28b on which the scale 391 is formed) is obtained (equivalent The point on the X-axis which is substantially the same as the detection point of the AF system (90a, 90b): the position information of the point below is referred to as the right measurement point. Therefore, the main control device 20 converts the surface position information of each detection point of the AF system (90a, 90b) into a straight line connecting the surface position of the left measurement point and the surface position of the right measurement point (hereinafter referred to as convenience) Countertop baseline) Quasi-face location information. In this conversion, the main control unit 20 performs the information captured during all sampling.

Here, the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment can measure the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis by the second back side encoder system 70B in parallel with the measurement of the second top-side encoder system 80B described above. Position information of the wafer table WTB1 (micro-motion stage WFS) in the direction and the θy direction (and the θz direction). Therefore, the main control unit 20 has the X-axis and the Y-axis at both ends in the X-axis direction of the surface of the wafer table WTB1 (the surface of the plate member 28) measured by each of the two four-axis encoders 68 and 67 described above. The position information in the Z-axis direction is the same as the position information (surface position information) of the surface of the wafer W in the Z-axis direction at each detection point detected by the AF system (90a, 90b), and is also obtained by the 2 Measurement values of the position of the back side encoder system 70B in the above respective directions (X, Y, Z, θy (and θz)). Next, the main control unit 20 obtains the data (Z, θy) of the mesa reference line obtained from the measurement information of the second top side encoder system 80B which is simultaneously extracted, and the measurement information of the second back side encoder system 70B ( The relationship between Z and θy). Thereby, the surface position data based on the mesa reference line can be converted into a reference line corresponding to the Z-position and the θy rotation of the wafer table WTB1 obtained by the back surface measurement and corresponding to the mesa reference line ( The following is a description of the surface position as a reference for the convenience of the back measurement base line.

By obtaining the above-described conversion data in advance in this manner, for example, the surface of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) is measured by the XZ read heads 64X and 65X at the time of exposure (the second water-repellent plate 28b on which the scale 392 is formed) The point and the point on the second water-repellent plate 28b on which the scale 391 is formed are calculated, and the Z position of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) and the inclination to the XY plane (mainly θy rotation) are calculated. By using the calculated Z-position of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) and the inclination of the relative XY plane and the aforementioned surface position data (the surface position data based on the mesa reference line), without When the position information of the surface of the wafer W is obtained, the position control of the wafer W can be performed. Therefore, even if the AF system is disposed at a position away from the projection optical system PL, there is no problem, and therefore, even if the working distance (the interval between the projection optical system PL and the wafer W at the time of exposure) is narrow, an exposure apparatus or the like is used. The focus map of this embodiment can also be suitably applied.

After the above-described focus mapping is completed, wafer alignment such as the EGA method is performed. Specifically, the main controller 20 servo-controls the position of the wafer table WTB1 based on the measured value of the second fine movement stage position measuring system 110B, and moves the wafer stage WST1 to XY two-dimensionally as indicated by a white arrow in FIG. The direction is driven in the step, and the alignment mark ALG is used to detect the alignment marks attached to the respective irradiation areas on the wafer at each step position, and the detection result of the alignment detection system ALG and the second micro motion of the detection are performed. The measured values of the position measuring system 110B are associated and stored in a memory (not shown).

Next, the main control unit 20 uses the detection result of the plurality of alignment marks obtained in the above manner and the measured value of the corresponding second fine movement stage position measuring system 110B, and is disclosed in, for example, the EGA disclosed in the specification of the US Patent No. 4,780,617. The method performs statistical calculations to calculate EGA parameters (X offset, Y offset, orthogonality, wafer rotation, wafer X calibration, wafer Y calibration, etc.), and obtains wafer W2 based on the calculated result. Arrangement coordinates of all the illuminated areas. Next, the main control device 20 converts the arrangement coordinates into coordinates based on the reference mark FM position as a reference. At this point, the exposure of the -X side half region of the wafer W2 is also continued.

Further, in the above description, although the wafer alignment is performed after the focus mapping is completed, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the focus mapping may be performed after the wafer alignment is completed, or the focus map may be aligned with the wafer at least in part. get on.

Then, after a series of measurement actions are completed, the main control device 20 will remain The wafer stage WST1 of the wafer W3 is driven in the -X direction and the +Y direction to the standby position symmetrical with respect to the reference axis LV with respect to the standby position of the wafer stage WST2 shown in FIG. 9 as indicated by a white arrow in FIG. Fig. 19 shows a state in which the wafer stage WST1 moves to the standby position and stands by at this position. The standby position is substantially below the standby position UP3 of the wafer, and the measurement system for measuring the position of the wafer stage WST1 is switched from the second fine movement stage position measuring system 110B to the measuring system 80D while moving to the standby position. .

In parallel with the movement of the wafer stage WST1 to the standby position and the standby at the standby position, the main control unit 20 moves along the path indicated by the black arrow in FIGS. 18 and 19, respectively. The wafer stage WST2 is exposed to the +X side half area of the wafer W2 held on the wafer table WTB2.

After the wafer stage WST1 is moved to the standby position, the main control unit 20 lowers and drives the second unloading slider for holding the exposed wafer W1 above the standby position UP2, as shown by the black arrow in FIG. Driven in the -Y direction, the wafer W1 is transported to the transfer position with the wafer transfer system.

20 and FIG. 9, it can be clearly seen that in the state of FIG. 20, the wafer stage WST1 and the wafer stage WST2 are replaced, and the standby position of the wafer stage WST1 is set to be opposite to the standby position of the wafer stage WST2. The LV is in a bilaterally symmetrical position, but the progress of processing of the two wafers W held on the two wafer stages WST1, WST2 is the same.

Thereafter, the wafer controllers WST1 and WST2 are used alternately, and the same operation as described above is repeated by the main controller 20.

However, when this is repeated, the wafer stage WST2 is driven in the +X direction when the exposure of the held wafer W is completed, and is replaced by the wafer stage WST1. Drive in the -Y direction. In this case, the wafer stage WST1 is driven in the +Y direction in order to be replaced with the wafer stage WST2.

Next, after the wafer stage WST2 is replaced, after moving to the unloading position UP1, the exposed wafer that has been unloaded from the wafer stage WST2 stands by at the standby position UP3 on the -X side of the unloading position UP1. Then, after the new wafer is loaded on the wafer stage WST2, one of the series of measurement operations is completed, the wafer stage WST2 is moved to the standby position immediately below the standby position UP2, and the exposure is completed at the standby position UP3. The wafer is transported in a path in the -Y direction to a transfer position with the wafer transfer system.

As described in detail above, the exposure apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is, for example, a case where the exposure station 200 has one wafer stage WST1 (or WST2) and the measurement station 300 has another wafer stage WST2 (or WST1). The wafer W held in the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) in the exposure station 200 can be held in the crystal by the measurement optical system PL and the liquid Lq by the exposure light IL in parallel. The wafer W of the wrap table WTB2 (or WTB1) performs one of the aforementioned series of measurements. Further, after the exposure of the wafer W held on the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) is completed, the liquid Lq immediately below the projection optical system PL is performed between the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) and the measurement table MTB ( The liquid immersion area 14) is transferred, and the liquid is held by the projection optical system PL and the measuring stage MTB. The transfer of the liquid Lq can be performed immediately after the end of the exposure of the wafer W held on the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2). Thereby, it is not necessary to transfer the liquid Lq supplied to the lower side of the projection optical system PL from one of the wafer tables WTB1 and WTB2 to the other. Thereby, for example, when the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) is returned to the measurement station 300 for wafer exchange or the like, the liquid Lq supplied immediately below the projection optical system PL is transferred from one of the wafer tables WTB1 and WTB2. As in the case of the other party, there is no need to make the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) is greatly revolved. Further, according to the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the main control unit 20 is configured to include the wafer table WTB1 holding the exposed wafer W in a state in which the liquid Lq is held between the projection optical system PL and the measurement stage MTB (or The wafer stage WST1 (or WST2) of WTB2) and the wafer stage WST2 (or WST1) containing the wafer table WTB2 (or WTB1) of the wafer W that has completed one of the aforementioned series of measurements are replaced in the Y-axis direction. The wafer stages WST1 and WST2 are driven by the coarse stage driving systems 51A, 51B. In this case, the main control unit 20 replaces the wafer stage WST1 including the wafer table WTB1 and the wafer stage WST2 including the wafer table WTB2 in parallel with each other in the Y-axis direction so as to be replaced in the Y-axis direction. The respective moving paths of the reverse paths are driven in parallel (refer to FIG. 12). In the present embodiment, the respective moving paths including the paths that are parallel to each other in the Y-axis direction are used. After the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 pass the moving path, the main control unit 20 uses the coarse movement stage. The drive systems 51A and 51B dispose the arm members WST1 and WST2 in one of the arm members 711 and 712 (that is, the read heads 73a to 73c and 75a to 75c) disposed in the space of the coarse movement stage WCS, respectively. The other of 712 (i.e., read heads 73a-73c, 75a-75c) moves from one of exposure station 200 and measurement station 300 to the other (see, for example, Figures 9 and 18). In this case, in order for the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 to move from the area (intermediate area) between the exposure station 200 and the measurement station 300 to the exposure station 200, the wafer control by the measurement system 80D is performed by the main control unit 20. The position information of the table WST1 or WST2 controls the driving of the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 by the coarse stage driving systems 51A, 51B. Further, the wafer stage WST1 and the wafer stage WST2 are moved from one of the exposure station 200 and the measurement station 300 to the other by the mutually different movement paths in the intermediate region, and the different moving path is used in the present embodiment. The position is different in the X direction, that is, on the chassis 12, one end side and the other end side are set in the X direction. In this embodiment, the tube load Since the body is connected to the wafer stage WST1 from the -X direction and connected to the wafer stage WST2 from the +X direction, the movement path of the wafer stage WST1 in the X direction is set to the -X side of the projection optical system PL, and the wafer stage The moving path of the WST 2 in the X direction is set on the +X side of the projection optical system PL.

Further, the main control device 20 includes, for example, one of the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 that hold the exposed wafer W and the other of the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 that hold the wafer W that has completed one of the series of measurements described above. The wafer W held in the other of the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 after the exposure of one of the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 is completed, when one of the positions is replaced in the Y-axis direction. In the period from the start of the exposure, the measuring member of the measuring table MTB, that is, the aforementioned illuminance unevenness sensor 95, the aerial image measuring device 96, the wavefront aberration measuring device 97, and the illuminance monitor 98 can be used. At least one of performing illuminance unevenness measurement, spatial image measurement, wavefront aberration measurement, and dose measurement. Thereby, it is possible to perform measurement related to exposure as necessary without reducing the productivity.

In the present embodiment, the movement paths of the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 further include a path for driving the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 in opposite directions to each other in the X-axis direction (see FIG. 13).

Therefore, not only can the production capacity be increased, but also the device can be made small.

The exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment includes a first back side encoder system 70A. When the wafer stage WST (or WST2) is located at the exposure station 200, the measurement is held by the coarse movement stage WCS so as to be movable to six degrees of freedom. The first micro-motion stage position measuring system 110A of the direction of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2), that is, the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the fine movement stage WFS, is from below The grating RG provided on the back surface (the side of the -Z side) of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) illuminates the measuring beam, and receives the returning light (reflected diffracted light) from the grating RG of the measuring beam at the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) Measurement of wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) when moving within a predetermined range within exposure station 200 (including at least a range within exposure station 200 for exposure to wafer W of wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2)) The position information of the six degrees of freedom direction; and the first top side encoder system 80A having the read heads 62A, 62C provided on the main holder BD, and the pair of read heads 62A, 62C are disposed on the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) One of the scales 391, 392 (two-dimensional grating) illuminates the measuring beam, and receives the returning light (reflected diffracted light) from the scale 391, 392 (two-dimensional grating) of the measuring beam at the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) at the exposure station 200 When the predetermined range is moved, the position information of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) can be measured in parallel with the measurement of the position information of the first back side encoder system 70A. Next, when the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) moves to the predetermined range in the exposure station 200, for example, during exposure, the main control device 20 is based on the position information of the first back side encoder system 70A and the first top side. The location information of the higher reliability of the position information of the encoder system 80A drives the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2).

Further, the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment includes the second back side encoder system 70B. When the wafer stage WST1 (or WST2) is located at the measurement station 300, the measurement is held by the coarse movement stage WCS so as to be movable to six. The second micro-motion stage position measuring system 110B of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) in the direction of freedom, that is, the position of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the micro-motion stage WFS, is disposed on the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) from below. The grating RG of the back side (the side of the -Z side) illuminates the measuring beam, and receives the returning light (reflected diffracted light) from the grating RG of the measuring beam at a predetermined range of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) within the measuring station 300. (At least including the range within the measurement station 300 in which the range of movement of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) is performed in order to perform one of the aforementioned series of measurement processes Measuring the position information of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) when moving, for example, in the range of the measurement station 300 corresponding to the aforementioned predetermined range of the exposure station 200; and the second top-side encoder system 80B Having a read head 62F, 62E provided on the main holder BD, and irradiating a measuring beam from a pair of scales 391, 392 (two-dimensional grating) provided on the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) from the read heads 62F, 62E, and receiving the measurement beam The return light (reflected diffracted light) from the scale 391, 392 (two-dimensional grating) of the measuring beam can be combined with the second back side encoder system when the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) moves within the above-described predetermined range within the measuring station 300 The measurement of the aforementioned position information of 70B measures the position information of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) in parallel. Next, when the switching unit 150B is set to the first mode, the main control unit 20 moves the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) within the predetermined range in the measurement station 300, for example, at the time of alignment. The position information of the back side encoder system 70B and the position information of the second top side encoder system 80B are the servo information driving the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2).

Furthermore, since the unloading position UP1 is set between the exposure position and the alignment position, more specifically, after the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 holding the exposed wafer W is driven in the -Y direction along the movement path thereof Since it is driven in the X-axis direction, the exposed wafer can be unloaded from the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) after a short time after the exposure of the wafer is completed, and then returned to the loading position LP. Further, after the exposure is completed, after the measurement table MTB is handed over to the liquid immersion area 14 (liquid Lq), the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) returns to the unloading position UP1 without returning to the liquid, and returns to the loading position LP. . Therefore, the movement of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) at this time can be performed with high speed and high acceleration. Furthermore, the loading position LP is set at the position where the first half of the BCHK of the alignment detecting system ALG is processed, so that it can be included in parallel with or at least after loading of the wafer on the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2). Alignment detection system ALG's first half of BCHK's processing is a series of measurement processing. Further, since the measurement process is performed without the liquid contacting the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2), the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) can be moved while moving at a high speed and high acceleration.

Further, the exposure order of the plurality of irradiation regions on the wafer W is performed by exposing the irradiation region from the +Y side of the -X side half (or the +X side half) to the -Y side. Exposure is performed from the -Y side of the +X side half (or -X side half) to the +Y side of the illuminated area, so at the end of the exposure, the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) will be located closest to the unloading Location UP1 location. Therefore, after the exposure is completed, the movement of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) to the unloading position UP1 can be performed in the shortest time.

As apparent from the above description, according to the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the immersion exposure of the wafer W can be performed with high precision by the step-and-scan method based on the result of the alignment with high precision and the result of the focus map. High resolution exposure. Further, the wafer W to be exposed can maintain high productivity even when it is, for example, a 450 mm wafer. Specifically, the exposure apparatus 100 can perform the exposure processing on the 450 mm wafer, which is equivalent to or above the exposure processing of the 300 mm wafer disclosed in the above-mentioned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0088843. High capacity to achieve.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the first back side encoder system 70A and the first top side encoder system 80A are used, and the measurement information of the higher reliability is used to control the wafer at the exposure station 200. An example of the position of the WTB1 (or WTB2) is described using the measurement information of the first top-side encoder system 80A in the θx, θy, and θz directions, and is used in the remaining X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions. The measurement information of the first back side encoder system 70A, but this is only an example.

For example, in the exposure apparatus corresponding to 450 mm, the measurement arm 71A (arm member 711) of the first back side encoder system 70A has a cantilever support structure and has a length of 500 mm or more, since the size of the wafer stage is considered. For example, the influence of dark vibration (vibration of the body) in a frequency band of about 100 Hz to 400 Hz becomes large. On the other hand, in the first top side encoder system 80A, it is conceivable that the influence of the vibration of the body is small, and the measurement error is small except for the extremely low frequency band. Therefore, in view of this, the measurement information of the higher reliability of the measurement information of the first back side encoder system 70A and the first top side encoder system 80A can be selectively used in the frequency band of the output signal. In this case, for example, a low pass filter having the same cutoff frequency and a high pass filter can be used to selectively switch (switch) the outputs of the first back side encoder system 70A and the first top side encoder system 80A, but The present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the combined output signal of the top side encoder system and the output signal of the back side encoder system may be used without adding a filter to add the combined position signal. Further, the top side encoder system and the back side encoder system may be used depending on the factors other than vibration, or both may be used in combination. Further, for the predetermined action accompanying the movement of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2), it is apparent that the measurement information (position information) of the first back side encoder system 70A or the first top side encoder system 80A is highly reliable. The location information of the more reliable one can also be used for position control of the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2 between its actions. For example, in the first fine movement stage position measuring system 110A, for example, in the scanning exposure, only the back side encoder system 70A may be used.

In any case, according to the present embodiment, since the position measurement of the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2 in parallel can be performed by the first back side encoder system 70A and the first top side encoder system 80A, one encoder can be realized. The use of the system alone, the use of the two systems, etc., in accordance with the advantages and disadvantages of the two methods of use.

Further, in the above embodiment, the second fine movement stage position measuring system 110B In the method of selecting the position information of the higher reliability among the measurement information (position information) of the second back side encoder system 70B and the second top side encoder system 80B, the same method as described above can be employed.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the first fine movement stage position measuring system 110A includes the first top side encoder system 80A in addition to the first back side encoder system 70A. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the measurement is performed at the exposure station 200. The measurement system for the position of the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2 may be only the first back side encoder system 70A, or the first top side encoder system 80A may be used instead of the other encoder system or interferometer system. Used in combination with the first back side encoder system 70A. In the case where only the first back side encoder system 70A is used, it is preferable to perform long-term stability in the θx, θy, and θz directions or the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the coordinate system of the first back side encoder system 70A. Calibration required.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the second fine movement stage position measuring system 110B includes the second back side encoder system 70B and the second top side encoder system 80B. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the measurement is performed at the measuring station 300. The measurement system of the position of the wrestling table WTB1 or WTB2 may be only the second back side encoder system 70B, or the second top side encoder system 80B may be used instead of the other encoder system or interferometer system. The back side encoder system 70B is used in combination. In the case where only the second back side encoder system 70B is used, it is preferable to perform long-term stability in the θx, θy, and θz directions or the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the coordinate system of the second back side encoder system 70B. Calibration required.

Further, in the above embodiment, the exposure coordinate group measurement system 34 and the measurement coordinate group measurement system 35 respectively have a sense of image in the X, Y two-dimensional position of the Z sensor and the mark on the inspection wafer table. The detector, but not limited to this, can also replace the image sensor and set an absolute encoder that can measure the absolute position of the XY two-dimensional direction of the wafer table.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the unloading position UP1 is set between the exposure station 200 and the measurement station 300. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the unloading position may be set near the loading position LP as in the exposure apparatus of the second modified example.

<<Modification>> FIG. 21 is a view showing a state in which the parallel processing operation of the exposure apparatus according to the modification is instantaneous. This Fig. 21 corresponds to the state of Fig. 14 of the above-described embodiment. As can be seen from Fig. 21, in the exposure apparatus of this modification, the unloading position UP and the loading position LP are set in the vicinity of the measuring arm. More specifically, based on the loading position LP of the exposure apparatus according to the above-described embodiment, the loading position LP is set at a position separated by a predetermined distance from the +X side, and the unloading position UP is set at a position separated from the -X side by a predetermined distance. Further, the standby position of the wafers of the standby positions UP2 and UP3 as described above is not provided. Further, in the exposure apparatus of the present modification, the measurement coordinate group measurement system 35 (the image sensors 36c and 36d and the Z sensors 38d to 38f) are disposed on the +Y side of the read heads 62F and 62E. The configuration of the other portions is the same as that of the exposure apparatus 100 of the above-described embodiment.

Here, a part of the wafer exchange operation including one of the wafer stages WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST in the parallel processing operation of the exposure apparatus according to the modification will be described with reference to FIGS. 21 to 24.

The parallel processing using the wafer stages WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST is performed in the same order as the above-described embodiment, and the main control unit 20 is used for the crystal when the wafer stage WST2 reaches the position shown in FIG. The position measuring system for the position control of the round table WTB2 (wafer stage WST2) is temporarily switched from the measurement system 80D to the third fine movement stage position measuring system 110C in the same manner as described above. Thereafter, the position control of the wafer table WTB2 is performed based on the measured value of the third fine movement stage position measuring system 110C. Further, in a state where the wafer stage WST2 is moved to the position shown in FIG. 21, the wafer table WTB2 becomes a transfer of the liquid immersion area. A state in which the measurement table MTB is in contact with or close to the Y-axis direction (parallel state).

Next, in the state where the main control device 20 maintains the contact or proximity of the wafer table WTB2 and the measurement table MTB, as shown in FIG. 21, the wafer stage WST2 and the measurement stage MST are respectively + as indicated by two upward white arrows. Drive in the Y direction. Thereby, the liquid immersion area 14 (liquid Lq) formed under the projection unit PU is moved (transferred) from the measuring table MTB to the wafer table WTB2, and the liquid immersion area is maintained by the projection optical system PL and the wafer table WTB2. 14 (liquid Lq) (refer to Fig. 23).

When the transfer of the liquid immersion area 14 is completed, the measurement arm 71A is inserted into the space portion of the wafer stage WST2, and the back surface (grating RG) of the wafer table WTB2 is opposed to the read heads 73a to 73c of the measurement arm 71A. The read heads 62A and 62C are opposed to the scales 391 and 392 (see FIG. 23). That is, the position of the wafer table WTB2 can also be measured by the third fine movement stage position measuring system 110C and the first fine movement stage position measuring system 110A. Therefore, the main control device 20 sets the first back side encoder system 70A and the first top side based on the position coordinates of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB2 measured by the third fine movement stage position measuring system 110C in the same manner as described above. Origin return of encoder system 80A. In this manner, the regression of the coordinate system at the time of exposure of the position of the wafer table WTB2 moving within the exposure station 200 is performed.

The main control device 20 manages the position of the wafer table WTB2 based on the position information of the higher reliability of the first back side encoder system 70A and the first top side encoder system 80A after the regression of the above-described exposure coordinate system. .

In parallel with the above-described driving of the wafer stage WST2 for handing over the liquid immersion area 14 and the +Y direction of the measurement stage MST, the main control unit 20 moves the wafer stage WST1 to the unloading position as indicated by the downward white arrow in FIG. UP (and load position LP) drive. During the drive, it becomes impossible to measure the position of the wafer stage WST1 (wafer table WTB1) by the measurement system 80D. Therefore, the main control device 20 will be used for the wafer table WTB1 (wafer stage WST1) before the wafer stage WST1 is separated from the measurement range of the measurement system 80D, for example, when the wafer stage WST1 reaches the position shown in FIG. The position control position measuring system is switched from the aforementioned measuring system 80D to the second fine moving stage position measuring system 110B. That is, when the wafer stage WST1 reaches the position shown in FIG. 22, the measuring arm 71B is inserted into the space portion of the wafer stage WST1, and the back surface (grating RG) of the wafer table WTB1 is opposed to the reading head 75a of the measuring arm 71B. ~75c, and the read heads 62F, 62E are opposite the scales 391, 392. Further, at this time, it is possible to measure the absolute position of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB1 by the measurement coordinate group measurement system 35. Therefore, the main control device 20 uses the measurement coordinate group measurement system 35 and the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B to simultaneously measure the position of the wafer table WTB1 in the six-degree-of-freedom direction. Next, in the same manner as described above, the main control device 20 sets the second back side encoder system 70B of the second fine movement stage position measuring system 110B again based on the absolute position of the wafer table WTB1 measured by the measurement coordinate group measurement system 35. The measured values of the second top encoder system 80B are used to return the origins of the second back side encoder system 70B and the second top side encoder system 80B. In this way, the regression of the coordinate system for managing the position of the wafer table WTB1 moving within the measurement station 300 is performed.

The measurement coordinate system measurement system 35 can perform the measurement of the absolute position of the six-degree-of-freedom direction of the wafer table WTB1, and thus the switching from the above-described measurement system 80D to the second fine movement stage position measurement system 110B, that is, the measurement The return of the coordinate system can be carried out in a short time.

The main control device 20 manages the wafer table WTB1 based on the position information of the higher reliability of the second back side encoder system 70B and the second top side encoder system 80B after the regression of the coordinate system described above. At the position, the wafer stage WST1 is driven in the -Y direction and the -X direction as shown by the white arrow in FIG. 22, and is positioned at the unloading position UP (refer to FIG. 23).

At the unloading position UP, the exposed wafer W1 is unloaded from the wafer stage WST1 in the following order. That is, after the suction of the wafer W1 by the vacuum jig (not shown) is released, the upper and lower moving pins are raised to hold the wafer W1 from the wafer holder. Next, an unloading arm (not shown) such as a robot arm is inserted between the wafer W1 and the holder, and the wafer W1 is transferred from the upper and lower moving pins to the unloading arm by the unloading arm. Next, the unloading arm is carried out to the transfer position with the external transport system as indicated by the black arrow in FIG. In this case, the upper and lower moving pins maintain the state of being increased in a certain amount for the loading of the next wafer.

Next, the main control unit 20 drives the wafer stage WST1 to the +X direction as shown by the white arrow in FIG. 24, and is positioned at the loading position LP. At the loading position LP, a new pre-exposed wafer W3 (here, a wafer in the middle of a batch (25 or 50 in a batch) is loaded on the wafer table WTB1 in the same manner as described above. . Fig. 24 shows a state in which the wafer W3 before the new exposure is loaded on the wafer table WTB1.

On the other hand, the wafer stage WST2 is maintained in measurement in parallel with the movement of the wafer stage WST1 to the unloading position UP, the unloading of the wafer W1, the movement of the wafer stage WST1 to the loading position LP, and the loading of the wafer W1. In the state of approaching or contacting the MTB and the wafer table WTB2, as shown in FIG. 23 and FIG. 24, two white arrows are respectively displayed, and the exposure start position of the wafer W2, that is, the acceleration for the exposure of the first irradiation region is started. Position moves. Before this movement, as shown in FIG. 23, in a state where the measuring plate 30 of the wafer stage WST2 is disposed at a position immediately below the projection optical system PL, the main control device 20 stops the two stages WST2, MST as necessary. , the second half of BCHK processing and the second half of the focus calibration.

After the above operation is completed, the main control device 20 drives the measurement stage MST in the -X direction and the +Y direction, and releases the state in which the two stages WST and MST are in contact or close to each other, and then starts to The exposure of the same wafer W2 described above.

In parallel with the exposure of the wafer W2 described above, the main control unit 20 performs a series of measurement operations. That is, the main control device 20 drives the wafer stage WST1 on which the wafer W3 is loaded in the -X direction by a predetermined amount, and the reference mark FM positioned on the measuring board 30 is positioned in the field of view (detection area) of the alignment detecting system ALG. The location. Next, after the first half of the baseline measurement (BCHK) of the alignment detection system ALG, the main control unit 20 performs the first half of the focus calibration. Thereafter, the same focus mapping and EGA pattern wafer alignment as in the above embodiment are performed.

Although the detailed description is omitted, the parallel processing operation using the wafer stages WST1, WST2 and the measurement stage MST, which is the same as the above-described embodiment, is performed by the main control unit 20.

In the exposure apparatus according to the modification described above, the standby positions UP2 and UP3 are not provided regardless of whether or not the two wafer stages WST1 and WST2 are used, and the wafer unloading system can be constituted by a single robot arm. Therefore, the unloading system, particularly the wafer, can be made simple. Further, in the exposure apparatus according to the modification, the unloading position and the loading position may be set to the same position. In this case, it is preferable to position the reference mark FM on the measuring board 30 with the unloading position and loading position on the alignment detection. The position within the field of view (detection area) of the ALG.

Further, in the above-described embodiments and modifications (hereinafter referred to as the above-described embodiments), a measurement system and/or a measurement measurement stage for measuring position information of the coarse movement stage WCS provided in each of the wafer stages WST1 and WST2 may be separately provided. A measurement system for position information of the slider portion 60 and the support portion 62 of the MST, for example, an interferometer system or the like. In this case, a measurement system for measuring relative position information of the coarse movement stage WCS and the fine movement stage WFS and/or a relative position information of the slider unit 60 of the measurement measurement stage MST and the support portion 62 and the measurement station MTB may be provided. Measuring system.

Further, in the above embodiment, the position information of the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 in the region (intermediate region) between the exposure station 200 and the measurement station 300 is measured by a measurement system 80D having a plurality of Hall elements (refer to the figure). 6) To measure, but is not limited thereto, the measurement system 80D may also be constructed by an interferometer system or an encoder system. Alternatively, an intermediate area position measuring encoder system having the wafer stage WST1 and WST2 is provided in the same manner as the measurement system 80D, for example, the top side encoder system 80A or the third fine movement stage position measuring system 110C. a plurality of external read heads, wherein when the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 is located in the intermediate area, the plurality of read heads respectively illuminate the measuring beam through the plurality of reading heads 391, 392 on the wafer table WTB1, WTB2 Measure the position information of the wafer stage WST1 or WST2. The plurality of read heads of the encoder system are configured in such a manner as to cover the movement path of the intermediate portion of the wafer stages WST1, WST2 previously described. In this case, in order to move the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 from the intermediate area to the exposure station 200 or the measurement station 300, the main control unit 20 may also use the position information of the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 measured by the measurement system 80D. The position information of the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 measured by the encoder system for the intermediate area position measurement controls the driving of the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 by the coarse stage driving systems 51A, 51B.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the first and second back side encoder systems 70A and 70B are provided with measurement arms 71A and 71B (each having an arm member 711 having at least a part of an optical system including only an encoder read head, 712), but not limited thereto, for example, as the measuring arm, as long as the measuring beam can be irradiated from the portion opposite to the grating RG, for example, a light source, a photodetector or the like may be incorporated in the front end portion of the arm member. In this case, it is not necessary to pass the optical fiber through the inside of the arm member. Furthermore, the shape and cross section of the arm member are not required, or a damping member for suppressing a specific number of vibrations may be provided at the free end thereof. Further, the first and second back side encoder systems 70A, 70B are not provided with the arm members 711, 712. In the case of a light source and/or detector, the interior of the arm members 711, 712 may not be utilized.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the first and second back side encoder systems 70A and 70B each include a three-dimensional read head, an XZ read head, and a YZ read head. However, the combined arrangement of the read heads is not limited thereto. . Further, the first and second back side encoder systems 70A and 70B may be a read head (optical system) having a Z read head in addition to the X read head and/or the Y read head.

In the above-described embodiment, since the grating RG is disposed on the lower surface (back surface) of the fine movement stage WFS, the fine movement stage WFS can be made lightweight, and piping, wiring, and the like can be disposed inside the fine movement stage WFS. The reason is that since the measuring beam irradiated from the encoder read head does not travel inside the fine movement stage WFS, it is not necessary to use the light energy transmission solid member in the fine movement stage WFS. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. When a light component is used to transmit a solid component in the micro-motion stage WFS, a grating may be disposed on the surface of the micro-motion stage, that is, on the surface opposite to the wafer, and the grating may be formed on the crystal. Round wafer holder. In the latter case, even if the wafer holder is inflated during exposure or the position of the micro-motion stage is deviated, the position of the wafer holder (wafer) can be measured.

Further, the configurations of the first to third top side encoder systems 80A to 80C in the above embodiment are not limited to those described in the above embodiments. For example, at least a portion of the first to third top-side encoder systems 80A-80C can also be disclosed in a plurality of encoder read heads on the wafer table WTB, as disclosed in, for example, the specification of the US Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0227309. (Each encoder read head can be configured in the same manner as the above-described four-axis read head, for example), and a lattice portion (for example, a two-dimensional grid or a two-dimensional one-dimensional grid) is disposed opposite to the wafer table WTB. The encoder system of the department). In this case, a plurality of encoder read heads may also be respectively disposed at the corners of the wafer table WTB, or at the opposite corners of the wafer table WTB and at the center (the center of the wafer holder). A pair of encoder read heads are respectively arranged on the line via the wafer table WTB. Again, the grid For example, four grid plates each forming a two-dimensional grid may be attached to one fixing member (plate or the like), and the four grid plates may be disposed around the projection optical system PL (or the nozzle unit 32). A support member including a fixture suspends and holds the fixing member to the main bracket BD.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration of the read head of each of the back side encoder systems and the like are not limited to the above, and may be arbitrary. Further, the read head configuration or the number of the top side encoder systems may be arbitrary.

In addition, by changing the arrangement (position) of the read head of the third top side encoder system 80C or by adding at least one read head, the 80C measurement load is measured by the third top side encoder system in the aforementioned parallel operation. Location information of the MST.

Further, in the above embodiment, the fine movement stage WFS can be driven in the full six-degree-of-freedom direction, but is not limited thereto, and it is only required to be movable in a two-dimensional plane parallel to the XY plane. Further, the fine movement stage drive systems 52A and 52B are not limited to the above-described dynamic magnetic type, and may be a moving coil type. Further, the fine movement stage WFS may be contact-supported by the coarse movement stage WCS. Therefore, the fine movement stage drive system in which the fine movement stage WFS is driven by the coarse movement stage WCS may be combined with, for example, a rotary motor and a ball screw (or a feed screw).

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the measurement operation of the plurality of measurement members (sensors) using the measurement stage MST is not required to be replaced from one of the wafer stage WST1 and the wafer stage WST2 to the other. For example, one of a plurality of measurements may be performed in the replacement of the wafer stage WST2 from the wafer stage WST1, and the remaining measurement may be performed in the replacement of the wafer stage WST1 from the wafer stage WST2.

Further, in the above embodiment, the measurement stage MST does not necessarily have to have the above-described various measuring members (sensors), and may simply be used instead of the wafer stage for projection. The liquid immersion area is maintained under the optical system PL. In this case, at least a part of the above-described various measuring members (sensors) may be provided on the wafer stage.

Further, in the above embodiment, a device (also referred to as a gripper unit) that is non-contactly supported above the loading position and loaded on the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2 before the wafer before exposure is loaded on the wafer table WTB may be provided. ). The jig unit may also be provided with, for example, a Bernoulli jig (or also referred to as a floating jig) as a support member that supports the wafer in a non-contact manner from above. The clamp unit (Benuri clamp) may have, for example, only a transport function or a heat adjustment function, a pre-alignment function, and a bend correction function (flattening function) in addition to the transport function, as long as it is attached to the gripper unit. The type and number of functions of the (Benuri fixture) may be determined by the configuration, and the four functions including the transfer function may be realized, and the configuration may be limited as long as the functions can be realized. Further, it is not limited to a jig that utilizes a Bernoulli effect, and a jig that can support the wafer in a non-contact manner can also be used.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the wafer stage WST1 and the wafer stage each having the fine movement stage WFS and the coarse movement stage WCS supporting the fine movement stage WFS are provided between the measurement station 300 and the exposure station 20. The case of the WST2 reciprocating movement, but not limited thereto, it is also possible to add two micro-motion stages to replace the two coarse moving stages, and to interact with the two micro-motion stages at the measuring station 300 and the exposure The station 200 moves back and forth between. Alternatively, more than three fine movement stages can be used. The parallel processing of the exposure processing of the wafer on one micro-motion stage WFS and the above-described measurement processing using another fine movement stage WFS can be performed. In this case, one of the two coarse motion stages can also be moved only within the exposure station 200, and the other of the two coarse motion stages can only move within the measurement station 300.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case of the liquid immersion type exposure apparatus has been described. However, the exposure apparatus is not limited thereto, and the wafer may be exposed to the liquid without being in contact with the liquid (water). Dry type of light. In this case, the main control device 20 is, for example, after the exposure of the wafer W held on one of the wafer stages (WST1 or WST2) is completed, and the wafer carrier is separated from the lower side of the projection optical system PL. The measurement member (that is, the aforementioned illuminance unevenness sensor 95, spatial image measurement) of the measurement table MTB can be used while being held by the wafer W of the other wafer stage (WST2 or WST1). , at least one of the wavefront aberration measuring device 97 and the illuminance monitor 98, and the measurement associated with the exposure of the illumination light IL through the projection optical system PL and receiving light through the light receiving surface of each measuring device, At least one of illuminance unevenness measurement, spatial image measurement, wavefront aberration measurement, and dose measurement. Thereby, the measurement associated with the exposure can be performed as necessary without reducing the productivity.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the exposure apparatus is a step-and-scan method has been described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the above-described embodiment can be applied to a static exposure apparatus such as a stepper. Moreover, the above embodiment can also be applied to a reduced projection exposure apparatus for synthesizing a stepwise bonding method of an irradiation area and an irradiation area.

Further, the projection optical system in the exposure apparatus according to the above embodiment may be not only a reduction system but also an equal magnification and amplification system. The projection optical system PL may be not only a refractive system but also a reflection system and a reflection system. In either of the refraction systems, the projection image may be either an inverted image or an erect image.

Further, the illumination light IL is not limited to ArF excimer laser light (wavelength: 193 nm), and ultraviolet light such as KrF excimer laser light (wavelength: 248 nm) or vacuum ultraviolet light such as F2 laser light (wavelength: 157 nm) can be used. Harmonics as disclosed in the specification of U.S. Patent No. 7,023,610, which is an optical fiber amplifier coated with, for example, yttrium (or both ytterbium and ytterbium), can be used to oscillate infrared rays from DFB semiconductor lasers or fiber lasers. Single-wavelength laser light in the visible region of the region is amplified as true The ultraviolet light is emptied and converted to ultraviolet light using non-linear optical crystallization.

Further, in the above embodiment, the illumination light IL as the exposure device is not limited to light having a wavelength of 100 nm or more, and light having a wavelength of less than 100 nm may be used. For example, the above embodiment can also be applied to an EUV (Extreme Ultra Violet) light EUV exposure apparatus using a soft X-ray region (for example, a wavelength range of 5 to 15 nm). Further, the above embodiment is also applicable to an exposure apparatus using charged particle beams such as an electron beam or an ion beam.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a light-transmitting mask (a reticle) in which a predetermined light-shielding pattern (or a phase pattern, a light-reducing pattern) is formed on a substrate having light transparency is used, but for example, a US invention patent may be used. An optical mask (also referred to as a variable-shaping mask, a active mask, or an image generator, for example, including a non-light-emitting image display element (spatial light) is replaced by an electronic mask disclosed in the specification No. 6,778,257 A DMD (Digital Micro-mirror Device) or the like is a transmission pattern, a reflection pattern, or a light-emitting pattern according to an electronic material of a pattern to be exposed. When such a variable molding mask is used, since the stage on which the wafer or the glass plate is mounted is scanned with respect to the variable shaping mask, the first and second fine movement stage position measuring systems 110A can be used. 110B measures the position of this stage to obtain the same effect as the above embodiment.

Moreover, the above-described embodiment can also be applied to an exposure apparatus (lithography) in which a line and space pattern is formed on the wafer W by forming an interference pattern on the wafer W, as disclosed in, for example, International Publication No. 2001/035168. system).

Further, for example, the above-described embodiment can be applied to, for example, an exposure apparatus disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,611,316, in which two reticle patterns are synthesized on a wafer through a projection optical system, by one scanning exposure. A double exposure is performed on substantially one of the illumination areas on the wafer.

Further, in the above embodiment, the object to be patterned (the object to be exposed by the energy beam) is not limited to the wafer, and may be another object such as a glass plate, a ceramic substrate, a film member, or a mask substrate.

The use of the exposure apparatus is not limited to the exposure apparatus for semiconductor manufacturing, and can be widely applied, for example, to an exposure apparatus for liquid crystal for transferring a liquid crystal display element pattern to a square glass plate, or for manufacturing an organic EL, a thin film magnetic head, and photography. An exposure device such as a component (CCD or the like), a micromachine, or a DNA wafer. Further, in addition to manufacturing a micro component such as a semiconductor element, in order to manufacture a reticle or a photomask for a photo-exposure device, an EUV (extreme ultraviolet ray) exposure device, an X-ray exposure device, an electron ray exposure device, or the like, the above-described The embodiment is applied to an exposure apparatus for transferring a circuit pattern to a glass substrate, a germanium wafer or the like.

An electronic component such as a semiconductor component is a step of fabricating a reticle according to the design step by performing a function of the function and performance of the component, and using the exposure device (pattern forming device of the above embodiment) in the step of fabricating a wafer from the bismuth material And an exposure method thereof, the step of transferring the pattern formed on the mask (the reticle) to the lithography of the wafer, and the developing step of developing the exposed wafer to remove the exposed portion of the portion other than the remaining photoresist The etching step of etching is removed, the photoresist removal step of removing the photoresist after etching is removed, the component assembly step (including the cutting step, the bonding step, the packaging step), and the inspection step are performed. In this case, since the element pattern is formed on the wafer by performing the above-described exposure method by the exposure apparatus of the above-described embodiment in the lithography process, it is possible to manufacture a high-complexity element with good productivity.

Further, the exposure apparatus (pattern forming apparatus) of the above-described embodiment is configured to be capable of maintaining predetermined mechanical precision, electrical precision, and optical precision by assembling various subsystems (including the respective constituent elements listed in the scope of application of the present application). Made. To ensure these various precisions, in the group Before and after the installation, various optical systems are used to achieve optical precision adjustment, various mechanical systems are used to achieve mechanical precision adjustment, and various electrical systems are used to achieve electrical accuracy adjustment. The assembly process from the various subsystems to the exposure device includes mechanical connection, wiring connection of the circuit, and piping connection of the pneumatic circuit. Of course, before the assembly process of various subsystems to the exposure device, there are individual assembly processes for each system. After the assembly process of various subsystems to the exposure apparatus is completed, comprehensive adjustment is performed to ensure various precisions of the entire exposure apparatus. Further, the exposure apparatus is preferably manufactured in a clean room in which temperature and cleanliness are managed.

Further, the disclosures of all the international publications, the US patent application publications, and the US invention patent specification relating to the exposure apparatus and the like cited in the above description are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims (6)

A moving body device for a moving object, comprising: a measuring member of a cantilever supporting structure; a moving member having a holding portion of the object and a space portion into which the measuring member can be inserted; and a measuring system transmitting through the measuring member And a reading head of one of the moving members, the grating member disposed on the other of the measuring member and the moving member is irradiated with a measuring beam, and the light from the grating member of the measuring beam is received, and the position of the moving member is measured. And a driving system for moving the moving member according to the position information, wherein the measuring member has a cross-sectional shape in which the fixed end portion is thicker than the free end portion. The mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring member has a cross-sectional shape in which a fixed end portion is thicker than a position at which the reading head or the lattice member is provided. A moving body device according to claim 1, wherein a damping member is attached to a free end of the measuring member. An exposure apparatus for exposing an object with an energy beam, comprising: the mobile body device according to any one of claims 1 to 3; and an optical system that illuminates the energy beam to the object held by the moving member. The exposure apparatus of claim 4, comprising: the moving member as the first moving member; the second moving member; the third moving member; and the exposure station having the optical system and holding the first moving member Or exposure of the aforementioned object of the second moving member; The measurement station is disposed apart from the exposure station, and performs predetermined measurement on the object held by the first moving member or the second moving member; and the measuring device is held by the third moving member; wherein the driving system The first moving member and the second moving member are respectively moved from one of the exposure station and the measurement station to the other. A method of manufacturing a component, comprising: a step of exposing an object using an exposure device of claim 4; and a step of developing the exposed object.